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Full-Text Articles in Peace and Conflict Studies

Myths, Mines, And Ground Clearance, Andy Smith Oct 1998

Myths, Mines, And Ground Clearance, Andy Smith

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The following article deals with some common misconceptions about deminers, demining, and demining equipment. It is not an academic paper, but it is rather a discussion prompt. Some of the points are old enough to appear bearded to the field men--sorry about that--but newcomers still need to hear them. A few are contentious. To some extent, I am playing devil's advocate although all of the points raised in this article have arisen during my field work. I believe that they deserve an airing, and I would be interested to hear any well-reasoned, contrary opinions, or any words of support.


And They Killed No Enemy: Taiwan's Landmines, Joe Lokey Oct 1998

And They Killed No Enemy: Taiwan's Landmines, Joe Lokey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmines are a remarkably wonderful little invention...from a military view. Since their systematic introduction to warfare doctrine in the spring of 1862 in the American Civil War, they have been used to deter, route, terrorize and harass opposing forces. Though their moral foundation has been in question since the beginning, little serious thought has been given to the effect of these perfect little soldiers on non-combatants--until recently. Our dark history provides numerous examples of the post-conflict madness inflicted by landmines and the other hubris of war on communities at peace. Rarely, however, do we find a case where landmines planted …


Data Standardization, Thomas Powell Oct 1998

Data Standardization, Thomas Powell

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As the international community has placed increasing emphasis on efforts to identify, classify, neutralize, or remove landmines or other unexploded ordnance (UXO), the need to communicate information concerning the location, description, and hazards associated with these munitions has become apparent. Numerous database structures have been created to store information about the various munitions. However, different organizations, countries, or individuals have adopted their own unique data definitions and database structures, and these differences could affect the kinds of information available through these sources.


Demining Technologies, Qadeem K. Tariq Oct 1998

Demining Technologies, Qadeem K. Tariq

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Humanitarian mine clearance is a new phenomenon in the world. Therefore, well-coordinated and concrete steps need to be taken at international levels to address this issue. The Humanitarian mine-clearance technology has evolved at organizational, regional, and national levels in various parts of the world. However, at the international level, very little has been done so far to learn from these individual but practical lessons. The current effort s to develop humanitarian mine-clearance technology is either not coordinated or is poorly coordinated with field-level requirements. Efforts are required to organize the humanitarian mine-clearance technology at the international level and to develop …


Biosensor Applications, Henrik Westander Oct 1998

Biosensor Applications, Henrik Westander

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The biosensor, or artificial dog nose, which identifies mines has now a new and civilian owner, Biosensor Applications Sweden AB, based in Orebro. The company has considerably strengthened its financial resources, currently by 5 million US dollars, and intends to raise further capital on the stock exchange.


Profile Of Intersos Activity In Humanitarian Demining, Salvatore Camboni, Steffano Calabrett Oct 1998

Profile Of Intersos Activity In Humanitarian Demining, Salvatore Camboni, Steffano Calabrett

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

InterSOS is an Italian-based Humanitarian Non-profit Organization working in emergency aid in several countries of the world in cF1048ritical situations, such as Bosnia, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia and Albania, in collaboration with specialized UN Agencies, the European Union and the Italian Government.


Report On The Detec-2 Testing In Cambodia November 18-21, 1997, Jean-Daniel Nicoud, Frédéric Guerne, John Brooks Jun 1998

Report On The Detec-2 Testing In Cambodia November 18-21, 1997, Jean-Daniel Nicoud, Frédéric Guerne, John Brooks

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The 2-year DeTec-2 project started at the end of 1995 as a continuation of our 1994-95 work on the Pemex demining robot to evaluate an antipersonnel mine sensor that is based on a combination of a metal detector (MD) and a ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The ERA radar was selected in early 1996, and we used the Schiebel, Förster and Ebinger metal detectors. We built a laboratory sandbox to evaluate the sensors under controlled conditions with the ultimate objective of conducting tests on a real minefield before the end of the project.


A Real Survivor: Ken Rutherford, David M. Ahearn Jun 1998

A Real Survivor: Ken Rutherford, David M. Ahearn

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ken Rutherford did not choose to join the humanitarian demining community. Rather, fate intervened when a landmine blew up his car as he traveled along the Somalian border where he was working as a loan officer helping to rebuild the Somalian economy. The encounter with the mine forever changed Ken Rutherford's life, for at that moment, he suddenly became a landmine victim. More importantly, he became a landmine survivor.


What Of Chechnya?, Joe Lokey Jun 1998

What Of Chechnya?, Joe Lokey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

There are too many Chechen mothers crying tonight. The scene is hauntingly familiar but the truth of this particular tragedy remains shrouded behind a wall of distortion and indifference. If the inordinate amount of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) were the only problems, simple magic and wizardry might be a realistic and reasonable solution to the devastation that has befallen this land that once was a beautifully scenic pocket of smiles nestled in the Caucasus.


A Call For Standardized Data: The Demining 2010 Initiative Conference As An Opportunity For Consensus, C. Jared Coffin Jun 1998

A Call For Standardized Data: The Demining 2010 Initiative Conference As An Opportunity For Consensus, C. Jared Coffin

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In response to the problem of landmines around the world, the United States has created a Demining 2010 Initiative that is "a U.S.-led initiative to develop, marshal and commit the resources" to end the landmine threat to civilians by the year 2010. One aspect of this initiative is the Demining 2010 Initiative Conference, to be held in the summer of 1998. This conference offers an opportunity to standardize data collection methods to more accurately assess the landmine problem.


Us Central Command: Uscentcom Demining Program: 1998 And Beyond, Cisr Journal Jun 1998

Us Central Command: Uscentcom Demining Program: 1998 And Beyond, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The USCENTCOM Humanitarian Demining (HD) Program has recently undergone a dramatic change in direction. This article will describe our old program, our new program, and our expected future.


The Countermine Training Support Center, Dennis Barlow Jun 1998

The Countermine Training Support Center, Dennis Barlow

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The U.S. Army Engineer School established the Countermine Training Support Center (CTSC) at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, in April, 1996. In the short amount of time in which it has been functioning, CTSC has carved out several unique and important roles relevant to humanitarian demining and is initiating activities that will be of great interest and value to the demining community. The new roles and enlargement of the mission that have occurred at the CTSC are in direct response to U.S. government policy guidelines that call for the expansion of humanitarian demining program. Activities underway–and planned–promise to aid in the …


"Demining 2010"–A Challenge To The Demining Community, Dennis Barlow Jun 1998

"Demining 2010"–A Challenge To The Demining Community, Dennis Barlow

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

We applaud the innovative and aggressive policy initiative designed to eliminate the threat to civilians posed by landmines, which was unveiled last Fall by Secretary of State Albright and Secretary of Defense Cohen. The four elements of "Demining 2010" and their component parts constitute an ambitious, and in some ways, revolutionary strategy that deserves serious analysis; it should engender reasoned and energetic responses from members of the humanitarian demining community.


Humanitarian Demining: Ten Years Of Lessons, Ronco Consulting Corporation Jun 1998

Humanitarian Demining: Ten Years Of Lessons, Ronco Consulting Corporation

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

RONCO is an international professional services firm that provides public and private sector clients with advisory, training, implementation, and management assistance. Founded in 1974, the firm has worked in developing countries on over 300 development projects. RONCO has been involved extensively in humanitarian demining for over ten years and has no relationship of any kind with the ordnance manufacturing industry or its distributors. The company's business is sustainable development.


Demining: Enhancing The Process, Colin King Jun 1998

Demining: Enhancing The Process, Colin King

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

There is a good deal of frustration surrounding the demining component of mine action; much stems from the sneaking suspicion that technology to improve the process already exists. Almost everybody recognises that humanitarian demining is slow and dangerous, and most see a need to enhance it. But despite years of research, little has changed in the field: what's going wrong?


Us Southern Command: Special Forces Lead U.S. Demining Efforts In Central America, Cisr Journal Jun 1998

Us Southern Command: Special Forces Lead U.S. Demining Efforts In Central America, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

High in the rugged mountains of Honduras, along its border with Nicaragua, clouds envelope a thick forest as a small group of soldiers move on paths outlined in bright yellow plastic tape. At the end of a trail, a soldier moves slowly with a metal detector sweeping back and forth across the ground. The tic-tic-tic sound in his headset changes pitch to a tac-tac-tac. He concentrates on a small area next to a tree. The sound changes again to a solid, dull tone.


Humanitarian Demining: The Challenge For Robotic Research, Stefan Havlík, Peter Licko Jun 1998

Humanitarian Demining: The Challenge For Robotic Research, Stefan Havlík, Peter Licko

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Current methods for detecting and removing mines are dangerous, too costly, and, considering the number of abandoned mines, very slow. Mechanical systems are most frequently used to clear large areas polluted by mines. Mechanical systems usually consist of a tank that uses rollers to apply pressure to the ground, rotary flails that beat the ground, or a rake that unearths and presses the mines. The main drawback of purely mechanical demining is that no system can satisfy the desired 100% reliability of humanitarian demining. Consequently, all cleaned areas require manual verification. Thus, an urgent need exists to develop safe and …


Anatomy Of A Program: Una-Usa Takes On Landmines, Melanie Velez, Bill Rigler Jun 1998

Anatomy Of A Program: Una-Usa Takes On Landmines, Melanie Velez, Bill Rigler

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On December 3, 1997, over 100 countries convened in Ottawa, Canada to sign an historic landmine-ban treaty. The event marked the end of a six-year campaign by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines to end the scourge of these deadly antipersonnel weapons. Simultaneously, the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), a non-government organization (NGO), launched a program called Adopt-A-Minefield. Through this program, civic groups, corporations, and other organizations "adopt" a mine-strewn area pre-selected by the United Nations for demining. These private and public groups raise funds to clear their adopted minefields in order to return the …


Us Pacific Command: Pacom Demining, Cisr Journal Jun 1998

Us Pacific Command: Pacom Demining, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The responsibility for humanitarian demining operations and training in the US Pacific Command falls on the Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC), which is located at Camp H.M. Smith in Hawaii. SOCPAC is the U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (USCINCPAC) executive agent for all demining operations and related activities such as mine awareness.


Of Bubbles, Burps, And Gaps, Joe Lokey Jan 1997

Of Bubbles, Burps, And Gaps, Joe Lokey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

We all know the numbers. The challenge of humanitarian demining around the globe is overwhelming, heartbreaking, and seemingly hopeless. The effort nearly always requires more. When experienced people talk of demining shortfalls, you would expect that funding tops the list. No surprise–it does. But always near the top consistently, is good, reliable information. This should not surprise use.


The United Nations And Humanitarian Mine Action, Stephane Vigie Jan 1997

The United Nations And Humanitarian Mine Action, Stephane Vigie

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The international community has come to realize that only an integrated and holistic response to the issue of landmine contamination, and its multi-faceted humanitarian and socio-economic consequences, is capable of bringing real and lasting benefits to those who are to be considered at risk from these weapons. Indeed, such integrated mine action initiatives can not purely be limited to field based programmes in those countries where a humanitarian disaster has already occurred due to landmine contamination. The United Nations and other leading practitioners in the sector of mine action have long acknowledged that advocacy at the international level is also …


United Nations Assumes The Lead In Demining, David M. Ahearn Jan 1997

United Nations Assumes The Lead In Demining, David M. Ahearn

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

No abstract provided.


Quality Assurance For Civilian Mine And Munitions Clearance, Erik Lauritzen, Soren Gert Larsen Jan 1997

Quality Assurance For Civilian Mine And Munitions Clearance, Erik Lauritzen, Soren Gert Larsen

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Currently civilian mine-clearance operations are carried out according to military principles involving Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). SOPs, however, do not encompass quality assurance concepts, such as the ISO 9000 family, a set of standards developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO). These standards are typically used for civilian works.


From 1000 To 100 Years In Solving The Humanitarian Demining Problem, J. Molitoris, A. Bottoms Jan 1997

From 1000 To 100 Years In Solving The Humanitarian Demining Problem, J. Molitoris, A. Bottoms

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This paper serves two purposes: (1) to introduce the Mine Warfare Association (MINWARA) and (2) to discuss how the Humanitarian Demining problem might be solved in less than a century. MINWARA is an international focal point for Mine Warfare (MIW), Mine CounterMeasures (MCM), and Humanitarian Demining (HMD).


The Humanitarian Foundation Of People Against Landmines, Stiftung Menschen Gegen Minen, Colleen Pettit Jan 1997

The Humanitarian Foundation Of People Against Landmines, Stiftung Menschen Gegen Minen, Colleen Pettit

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Founded in January 1996, the Humanitarian Foundation of People against Landmines, or Stiftung Menschen gegen Minen (MGM), is Germany’s first Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) created specifically for humanitarian demining. Before the inception of MGM, Germans in need of demining aid turned chiefly to England (the HALO-trust and Mine Action Group) and Norway (Norwegian People’s Aid). Though a few German organizations have been involved in demining, they have focused on limited mined areas or on political campaign. MGM, in contrast, provides emergency demining aid; instructs and employs the local population in demining precautions and operations; and conducts research in demining operations.


Unexploded Ordnance (Uxo), Ordnance And Explosives (Oe), Or Chemical Agents (Ca) Functional Sub-Activity (Uofsa) Information Business Strategy, George Hoehl Jan 1997

Unexploded Ordnance (Uxo), Ordnance And Explosives (Oe), Or Chemical Agents (Ca) Functional Sub-Activity (Uofsa) Information Business Strategy, George Hoehl

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Currently, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clean-up community are supported by three locally developed and maintained systems. The Unexploded Ordnance Site Management Model (UXOSMM) is being maintained by the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (EODTECHDIV). Ordnance Technical Management System (OTMS) is maintained by United States Army Engineer Division, Huntsville (USAEDH). In a functionally similar undertaking, landmine elimination in Host Nations is provided by the Humanitarian Demining Operations Geographic Information System (HDOGIS). HDOGIS is a Special Operations Command (SOCOM) automated tool currently used by host nation forces in Eritrea and Ethiopia. It was developed by the …


An Interview With Colonel Lawrence Machabee, Usmc: A Retrospective View Of Humanitarian Demining At The Department Of State, Peter J. Hager Jan 1997

An Interview With Colonel Lawrence Machabee, Usmc: A Retrospective View Of Humanitarian Demining At The Department Of State, Peter J. Hager

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the growing attention that humanitarian demining receives now worldwide, in 1994, when Col. Lawrence Machabee began his three-year stint as a Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of State Exchange Officer within the Department of State, humanitarian demining was "on no one's radar screen, at least politically" in the U.S. In FY 93, the U.S. government started demining programs in six countries and had allocated a total of $9 million to its demining efforts around the world. All this changed in January 1994 with the Department of State publication Hidden Killers. Col. Machabee was a central figure in the development of …


Dedication, Dennis Barlow Jan 1997

Dedication, Dennis Barlow

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

I never saw Danaan Parry socially. I never saw him operate in the field. I only met him three times in the hurly-burly environment of the work-a-day Pentagon. Yet he made an impression on me that will drive me as long as I am privileged to work toward the elimination of landmines as a threat to innocents around the world.


White House Office Of Science And Technology Helps To Coordinate Demining Activities, Colleen Pettit Jan 1997

White House Office Of Science And Technology Helps To Coordinate Demining Activities, Colleen Pettit

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is a member of the Interagency Working Group on Humanitarian Demining. As an overseer of this group of government and non-government agencies involved in demining, the OSTP helps to ensure that U.S. humanitarian demining research and development activities coordinate with relevant activities of the U.S. government and other demining organizations. OSTP additionally aids the execution of the Presidential policy to develop improved mine detection and clearing technology and to share the technology with the international humanitarian demining community. In both these roles, the OSTP works closely with the Department of …


The U.S. Department Of Defense And The Role Of The Journal Of Humanitarian Demining, Robert L. Cowles Jan 1997

The U.S. Department Of Defense And The Role Of The Journal Of Humanitarian Demining, Robert L. Cowles

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Demining program would like to thank the staff at James Madison University's Humanitarian Demining Information Center (HDIC) for creating the inaugural issue of The Journal of Humanitarian Demining.