Emergency and Disaster Management Commons^™

Nicaragua, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Nicaragua’s landscape is as volatile as its past. Located in Central America south of Honduras and north of Costa Rica, its land is troubled by earthquakes, 40 volcanoes, landslides and tropical hurricanes. Nicaragua received its political independence from Spain in 1821 and became an independent republic in 1838. From 1896, it was ruled under a dynasty/dictatorship established by President Anastasio Somoza García until a bloody revolution occurred in 1979 led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Over a decade of internal conflict caused Nicaragua to be heavily mined before most of the fighting ended in 1990. Since 1990, the …

Non-State Actors In Nepal, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since the end of the monarchy in 1951, Nepal has faced governmental problems. A multi-party democracy was established in 1990, but since then Nepal has had 14 governments. A Maoist insurgency began in 1996 and has claimed thousands of civilian, government and rebel lives. In 2001, nine members of the royal family were killed in a shooting spree by Prince Diprendra, son of the late King Birendra, who then turned the gun on himself. The Maoist insurgency has tried to fill the void left by the monarchy and an ongoing struggle ties together the government and rebel groups, also known …

Nsas In Africa: The Call To Action, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cites Africa as the continent with the largest number of conflicts. In such countries as the Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Angola, the 2003 Landmine Monitor reports widespread landmine use by non-state actors (NSAs), each seeking a myriad of political aims from recognition by the international community to government overthrow to political agitation through terrorism. The majority of NSAs involved in conflicts with internationally recognized governments on the African continent have rarely disclosed their political agendas nor have they outlined how their political agendas differ from those of the …

Colombia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Referred to as La Violencia, political unrest in Colombia's countryside lasted from 1948 until 1962. Efforts to overthrow the Colombian government escalated again in the 1990s with a rebel uprising. To forward their advances, four different guerilla groups used landmines, staged coups and attempted political assassinations. Guerilla attacks led mostly by the Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC), National Liberation Army (ELN) and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), combined with drug cultivation, social inequities and widespread violence, contributed to Colombia's 40-year political crisis. Upon his election in 2002, President Alvaro Uribe promised to begin taking action to end the …

Ecuador, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, the "Republic of the Equator" was part of the Inca empire. The country remained under Spanish control until Antonio José de Sucre liberated the region in 1822, at which time it became part of Greater Colombia. When this union collapsed in 1830, three countries were formed: Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. During the period of 1904–1942, several conflicts with neighboring countries caused Ecuador to lose some of its territory. Since then, several uprisings and clashes with Peru have contributed to Ecuador's volatile history.

Honduras, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Nestled among Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, Honduras is a tropical paradise of rainforests, clear waters and fresh fruit. The small country has Mayan roots that date at least as far as 1000 B.C. to the Copan city-state, which was abandoned around A.D. 900. The area remained quiet until Columbus arrived in 1502. The Spanish settled in Honduras in 1525 and maintained control until Dutch pirates took possession in 1643. The Spanish resettled in 1787, and in 1821, Honduras resisted control from Spain. After a conflict between conservatives and liberals, Honduras broke from Mexico and became its own state in …

Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The English landed on the Falkland Islands in 1690, but the first settlement on this land off the coast of southern Argentina was not established until 1764 by the French. The next year, Britain established its own settlement and claimed the islands in the name of King George III. In 1766, the Falklands were turned over to Spain, beginning a centuries-long territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The United Kingdom established a naval garrison on the islands in 1833, thus asserting its claim to them. In April 1982, Argentina invaded the islands, starting a …

Peru, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Peru is located at the center of the Andean states, bordered by Colombia and Ecuador in the north, Brazil and Bolivia in the east, and Chile in the south. The people of Peru declared their independence from Spain in 1821. Revolutionary fighting continued, however, until 1824, when all remaining Spanish forces in Peru were defeated. Peru's primary landmine problems are a result of guerilla military activity in the 1980s that afflicted its internal regions, particularly near electrical towers and power-generation stations that were mined for protection against guerilla sabotage. Border conflicts with Ecuador in the north during the mid-1990s also …

Non-State Actors In Sri Lanka, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

What happens when an irresistible force hits an immovable object? Something gives. Or does it? In the war-torn country of Sri Lanka, there remains a constant clash between the country's government and non-state actor (NSA) groups that terrorize the region and its people. The chief NSA that opposes the government is the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an insurgency group whose goal is to form an independent state for the 3.2 million Tamil people that make up the minority ethnic community.

Argentina, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After gaining independence from Spain in 1816, Argentineans battled amongst themselves in political conflicts between conservatives and liberals. Naturally, due to the intensity of a structured environment aggravated by war, conflicts also arose as the military society merged with the civilians. These opposing entities battled through a long period of authoritarian rule that later ended in a military junta, which usurped the Peronists' authority in 1976. Democracy was not implemented as a governing standard until 1983.

Turkey Moves Forward To Demine Upper Mesopotamia, Ali Koknar

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Turkish-Syrian border was first drawn in 1921, altered in 1938, and finally demarcated once again in 1956. Between 1991 and 1993, portions of the border were further demarcated, bringing the border deeper into Turkish territory. Most of the land in near the Turkish-Syrian border falls under the legal category of "Forbidden Military Zone in the First and Second Degrees" (i.e., public land administered by the Turkish military). Some of it is formerly privately-owned farmland nationalized during the 1956 demarcation.

Engaging Non-State Actors In The Fight Against Landmines: A Key To Negotiating Peace In Colombia, Elisabeth Reusse-Decrey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Today, one of the populations in the world that suffers the most from landmine use by armed non-state actors (NSAs) is the population of Colombia. Since 2003, Geneva Call, a humanitarian, independent and neutral international organisation dedicated to engaging NSAs in a total ban against anti-personnel landmines, has established a line of communication with Colombian armed groups. With the support of the national government and the collaboration of the Colombian Campaign Against Landmines—a partner organisation—representatives of Geneva Call have met with members of the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Colombia, other local and indigenous organisations, as well as members …

The Process Of Demining And Destroying Uxo In Guatemala, Guillermo Pacheco

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The process of demining and destroying UXO in Guatemala is characterized by a collaborative effort between civilians and military personnel. This process is conducted in a diplomatic manner between the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) and the National Army, the parties of the 36-year internal armed conflict, which concluded in 1996. Likewise, the demining and UXO destruction operations that Guatemala executes reflect the characteristics that were prevalent during the armed conflict, including the rare use of anti-personnel mines and UXO proliferation.

Chile, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 1973, Chile's Marxist government was overthrown by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto Pinochet. With the goal of exterminating Marxism, Pinochet suspended parliament, banned political activity, limited civil liberties and boosted efforts to guard Chilean borders. Between 1973 and 1983, in an attempt to protect the country from its neighbors, Pinochet's government littered the Chilean borders of Bolivia, Peru and Argentina with 293 minefields containing one million mines. In 1990, Pinochet stepped down and a presidential parliamentary democracy was restored with the election of Patricio Aylwin.

Costa Rica, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Settled by Spain in 1522, Costa Rica remained under Spanish control for three centuries before declaring its independence from Spain along with other Central American provinces in 1821. The Central American Federation, created by the newly independent provinces, was soon interrupted by border disputes. Costa Rica formally withdrew from the Federation in 1838, declaring its sovereignty. In 1899, the country became a democracy, holding what were considered to be its first truly free elections. This peaceful democracy was only disrupted twice, being controlled by a dictator from 1917 to 1919 and experiencing an uprising in 1948 due to a disputed …

Colombia: Mine Action And Armed Conflict, Eric Filippino

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Colombia is still in the throes of armed conflict and organised violence that has been ongoing during the past 40 years. Parties to the conflict include the government and armed forces of Colombia as well as numerous guerrilla groups. The two largest of these are the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which first appeared in 1964, and the National Liberation Army (NLA or ELN). In addition, numerous paramilitary groups operating throughout the country receive tacit support from certain Colombian army units.¹ There continues to be disputed control over vast swathes of Colombian territory.

Non-State Actors In Colombia, Guatemala And Nicaragua, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The majority of wars fought in the last 50 years have involved non-state, anti-state or stateless actors. These groups, commonly referred to as insurgents, dissidents, freedom fighters, rebel groups or guerillas, act independently from recognized governments. These non-state actors (NSAs) typically use low-tech, homemade weapons, such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other small arms and light weapons to wage guerilla warfare. Civil war, economic instability and a booming illegal drug trade have resulted in a build-up of arms and have thus empowered Latin American NSAs. Due in part to growing insurgent strength, parts of Latin America has been …

Non-State Actors In The Philippines, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On December 3, 1997, the Philippines signed the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention to end mine use in the country. However, implementation of this act did not come soon enough to prevent the loss of innocent lives from terrorist attacks that began in the early 1990s and continue through today. In the Philippines, several main rebel groups terrorize the countryside, creating havoc in order to further their own interests. They are non-state actors (NSAs), rebel groups who fight for certain beliefs. Geneva Call defines a NSA as "any armed actor operating outside state control that uses force to achieve it political/quasi-political …

A Profile Of Afghanistan, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Afghanistan is a dry, landlocked nation made up mostly of rugged mountains that run northeast to southwest and divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country. Bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, it also shares a tiny strip of land with China. Because of its cold winters and hot summers, nearly all of Afghanistan’s supply of natural fresh water begins as snow. This limited supply, however, has been severely depleted because of a four year drought from 1998–2002. Drought and the added thirst of two million returning refugees has left nearly 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population …

Humanitarian Demining Efforts In The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In an August 2002 assessment of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that the following areas in the OPT are not properly fenced, marked or cleared:

• Minefields from the 1967 Middle East war—unmarked minefields were reportedly found between Jordan and the West Bank, in the Jordan Valley and in other strategic areas in the West Bank.
• Israeli military training zones.
• Areas of confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Though no minefields have been officially declared in the Gaza Strip, Ayid Abu Qtaish, mine awareness coordinator of Defence for Children International (DCI), Palestine Section, has no …

Mine Action Training In Argentina, Carlos Nielsen

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Argentina has always relied on its military with respect to demining. At the same time, the government has continually taken an active role in promoting the use of military mine clearance throughout the international community. For instance, in 1993, three officers and one non-commissioned officer (NCO) were sent as a team, supervised by the Organization of American States (OAS), to Nicaragua. There they took the role of training the Nicaraguan army in different mine clearance techniques.

Jordan's Military In Mine Action, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Jordan is a country rich in history and beauty. Throughout the years, with the increase of tensions in the Middle East, Jordan has been forced to protect its borders. As a result, Jordan has become a major actor in the mine action community and has taken a different approach by promoting the use of its military for demining and its non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for rehabilitation and mine awareness.

Demining In Bihac With 5 Korpusa Of The Bosnian Army, Peter Hindy

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the end to years of brutal fighting in Bosnia, landmines left behind from the war still threaten the safety of local populations. The following article gives a firsthand account of a former Canadian soldier’s demining experience in Bosnia alongside the Bosnian army.

Bosnia And Herzegovina Mine Problem: Priority Setting, Darvin Lisica

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

With so many tasks to complete and limited resources with which to complete them, the importance of priority setting to mine action cannot be overstated. The author describes how priority setting relates to mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina and suggests how to go about setting such priorities.

Mine Action In Bosnia’S Special District: A Case Study, Matthew Bolton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Brčko Municipality, located in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), was a fierce battleground during the war from 1992 to 1995. Because of the Brčko district’s unique, strategic and symbolic significance to all sides of the conflict, it was the only issue left unresolved by the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war in December 1995, which had divided the country into two decentralized semi-autonomous “entities”: the Republika Srpska (populated mostly by Serbs) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (populated mostly by Bosniaks and Croats).

A War Far From Over: Iraq’S Landmine Struggle, Nicole Kreger

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

With the end of major hostilities, there comes an urgent need for UXO/ mine clearance teams to start tackling their arduous task. A number of countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have begun to take on this responsibility, hoping to eliminate fear and restore a sense of security to the newly freed Iraqi people.

Hierarchic Approach To Mine Action In Croatia, Nenad Mladineo, Snjezana Knezic, Damir Gorseta

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Republic of Croatia is one of the 10 most mine-contaminated countries in the world. There are almost 750,000 mines on 1,630 sq km of mine-suspected areas. About 170 sq km are actual minefields, while the rest of the area is contaminated with individual explosive ordnance. Mine-affected areas that have not been used for years, pose a huge economic problem and obstruct infrastructure development, reconstruction, and return of displaced persons to their normal lives. They also pose a significant safety problem. In particular, any activities carried out in mine-contaminated areas significantly threaten human lives and material assets. It is estimated …

Costa Rica: The First Country In Latin America Free Of Anti-Personnel Landmines, Jaime Perales, Carl Case

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On December 10, 2002, Costa Rica declared itself the first country free from anti-personnel landmines in the Western Hemisphere. Placed in hills and brooks, bridges and roads, mines and UXO were buried for more than 15 years during the conflict in Central America.

Somalia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Somalia’s first known inhabitants were Arabs who established trading posts over 1400 years ago. During the 19th century, Britain, France and Italy colonized the area, and it remained three separate colonies until Britain combined the region under one rule in 1941. This unity was sustained until 1950, when the area once colonized by Italy became a UN territory under Italian rule and was named Somalia. In 1960, the nation finally achieved independence from European rule; however, this newfound liberty brought about many conflicts. Clashes with Ethiopia began in the late 1960s and, for the most part, lasted throughout the late …

Benefit/Cost Analysis Of U.S. Demining In Ethiopia And Eritrea, Michael Litzelman

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A Benefit/Cost (B/C) Analysis is a tool used to compare the rewards reaped by a program to the costs expended to accomplish it. The author discusses the B/C analysis of demining operations in Ethiopia and Eritrea and extrapolates the meaning of the results.