Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Food Security Emerges As A Complex Global Challenge, Bryan Mcdonald

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Measures are being taken toward land restoration and explosive remnants of war clearance to aid in worldwide food security. Global demining and ordnance removal efforts are contribiting to health improvements and land availability for sustainable crop growth. This article discusses the problem of food security in the twenty-first century and briefly reviews three sets of concerns that are converging to amplify, disrupt and transform efforts to ensure that all people have the food they need to lead active and healthy lives.

A New Name And Mission For The International Trust Fund For Demining And Mine Victims Assistance, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since its formation in 1998 by the Slovenian Government, the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance has continuously expanded and enhanced its mission, widening its scope of activities to reflect the changing human-security environment, needs of beneficiary countries and priorities of the donor community. Now it has a new name to reflect its broader mission: ITF Enhancing Human Security.

Country Profile: Thailand, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In May 1999, Thailand became a State Party 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 Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention, or APMBC).

Of Water And War: The Delicate Relationship Between Water Scarcity And Conflict, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Is it possible that the wars of the future could be fought over water, the most abundant natural resource on the planet? The following article explores the relationship between water, conflict and landmine-clearance efforts around the globe.

Mine Action And Security Challenges, Abdul Qudos

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mostly from the 1979 Soviet invasion and an internal conflict from 1992 to 2001, Afghanistan is affected by a wide array of landmines and explosive remnants of war and remains highly contaminated (approximately 650 square kilometers [250 square miles] are currently contaminated). Recently, insurgents have added to the contamination and this hinders the ability of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan to clear the land. MAPA is committed to developing innovative approaches to mine action, including implementing Community Based Demining, to facilitate demining and to relieve mine-affected communities.

The Impact Of Erw On Children, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article provides a brief description of the threat cluster munitions, landmines and other explosive remnants of war pose to children worldwide. The discussion of children’s physical susceptibility and the psychological and socioeconomic effects that accompany wounds and disabilities provides a broad picture of the impact ERW have on children. The article also explores rehabilitative support, as several sources provide a variety of recovery strategies that focus on community support for the future well-being of child survivors.

The Information Management & Mine Action Programs, Eric Sawyer

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Information Management & Mine Action Programs use information management and technology to increase humanitarian mine-action safety and efficiency. The work conducted in Iraq, which supports mine-clearance and victim-assistance activities, is an example of iMMAP facilitating improved information sharing in HMA. In addition, these improved information-management activities allow iMMAP to provide ongoing victim-assistance services to persons with disabilities in Iraq and to other patient populations.

Crescent And Dove: Peace And Conflict Resolution In Islam, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Crescent and Dove: Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam is a collection of essays synthesized by Qamar-ul Huda to create a compelling read for peacemakers, mine-action experts and anyone interested in conflict studies. The authors elaborate on Islamic approaches to nonviolence while bridging the gaps between economic thought, political science, religious texts and spirituality.

Pathways To Resilience Workshop Promotes Leadership And Peer Support, Anne Stewart, Lennie Echterling, Cameron Macauley, Nicole Neitzey, Hasan Hamdan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Pathways to Resilience (P2R) created a unique leadership program to help landmine survivors promote resilience and create secure collegial relationships. This article provides background regarding the curriculum and training activities and recounts how P2R helped survivors experience posttraumatic growth after tragedy.

The United States Aids Danish Humanitarian Mine Action In Lebanon, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Cluster munitions, landmines and other unexploded ordnance have long polluted Lebanon.

Conflict Resolution In The Twenty-First Century: Principles, Methods, And Approaches, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In Conflict Resolution in the Twenty-first Century: Principles, Methods, and Approaches, Bercovitch and Jackson create an accessible and well-organized analysis of the best approaches to resolving conflicts in the world today.

Issue 15.3 Endnotes, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Issue 15.3 Endnotes

The Eu And The U.S. Provide Grant To Lao Pdr, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) has recently been tasked with a new project to collaborate with the UXO sector in Lao PDR to clear UXO from Boualapha, Mahaxay and Xatbuathong of Khammouane province.

In Remembrance: John Noftsinger, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Dr. John B. Noftsinger, Jr., Vice Provost for Research and Public Service at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., U.S., died suddenly of an apparent heart attack at the age of 48 on 10 November 2011. Many mine-action managers knew him through his supervision and support of the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery.

Syria Plants Landmines On Lebanese Border, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

According to BBC and CBS news reports, Syrian troops planted landmines along its border with Lebanon, further perpetuating the uprising that began in March 2011 against President Bashar Assad and his regime.

Peacebuilding And Rule Of Law In Africa: Just Peace?, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In Peacebuilding and Rule of Law in Africa: Just Peace?, terms such as peacebuilding and rule of law, which initially seem broad and sometimes ambiguous, are broken down by a variety of scholars from different fields to cite specific examples of trial and error in both processes within the African context.

Survey And Clearance Of Unexploded Submunitions Versus Landmines And Other Erw, Åsa Gilbert, Michael Creighton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The authors argue that survey and clearance methods in areas contaminated solely by unexploded submunitions (from cluster munitions) should be different than those in areas contaminated by mines and other explosive remnants of war to achieve the most efficient outcome. This article seeks to explain how and why procedures are different, and proposes a land-release methodology for dealing with unexploded submunitions.

Landmines In War And Peace: From Their Origin To Present Day, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ten years after the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and their Destruction (also known at the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention or APMBC) entered into force and the publication of his book, The History of Landmines, Mike Croll provides a sequel detailing the present condition of demining operations throughout the world.

Art Therapy And Sport Activities Enhance Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Reykhan Muminova

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Tajikistan Mine Action Centre has worked to improve the physical and psychological health of landmine survivors through its summer camps in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Using sport activities, survivors improve their ability to function physically and learn to adjust to life with their disability, while art therapy helps them overcome fears of self-expression, enabling them to form healthy relationships with others.

Peer Support And Trauma Recovery, Cameron Macauley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Peer support is becoming an important strategy to help survivors of war-related violence recover from psychological trauma. After a short training in counseling techniques, peer-support workers seek out trauma survivors in the community and help them reintegrate into society, find work, engage in sports and come to terms with their traumatic memories. Peer-support programs incur costs related to transportation and communication, but support groups may recover some costs through income-generating projects.

Sri Lanka Works Toward A Mine-Free Nation, Vidya Abhayagunawardena

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses Sri Lanka’s steps to demine its land, educate its citizens on landmine and unexploded-ordnance dangers, and offer survivor-assistance services. Sri Lanka’s national mine-action program is building on previous mine-action work done by the government and humanitarian organizations by presenting a workshop on demining issues, developing a mine-action center and improving partnerships with concerned organizations.

Jim Lawrence Named Director Of Pm/Wra, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On 8 May 2011, James (Jim) F. Lawrence was appointed Director of the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA).

New Prosthetics Offer Hope In Sudan, Mohammad Ismail

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Unfortunately for amputees in developing countries, poverty and disability go hand-in-hand. Limb loss can make it extremely difficult for victims to provide for themselves and their families. From this reality came the inspiration for Sudanpro, an inexpensive and durable prosthetic developed by the author, an orthotist and prosthetist working with Project Hope Sudan.

Unifil Peacekeeping In Southern Lebanon, Christina Greene

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since 1978, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has been working to help bring peace and security to the region. UNIFIL began humanitarian mine-action activities and cluster-munitions clearance in Lebanon in 2006. It also began to demine parts of the Blue Line, which is the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon. This overview discusses a few UNIFIL projects

Capacity Building In Western Sahara, Penelope Caswell

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Action on Armed Violence (formerly Landmine Action) is the only nonprofit organization that has carried out humanitarian mine-action activities (including survey, marking, battle-area clearance and explosive-ordnance disposal) in Frente POLISARIO-controlled Western Sahara since 2006. This article provides an overview of AOAV’s capacity-building efforts through its Mine Action Programme, which focus heavily on training national staff to efficiently identify and remove dangerous items threatening the safety of the Saharawi population, U.N. personnel and international visitors.

As an essential element of training for managerial decision-making, case studies provide managers with applicable scenarios that benefit the professional, day-to-day lives of people working in the explosive-remnants-of-war/mine-action community. While class sessions provide pertinent instruction on how to react to potential scenarios, the opportunity to use that knowledge in well-constructed examples proves highly useful for personnel. This article reports the steps taken to implement appropriate case studies for CISR’s Senior Managers’ Course in ERW and Mine Actionand the results.