Peace and Conflict Studies Commons^™

Marminca's Experience: Coordinating Humanitarian Demining, Luiz Felipe Ramos Gonzalez

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Humanitarian demining is an essential component of mine action, which encompasses a series of activities such as mine and UXO removal, technical studies, mapping, the returning of cleared land to the communities, victim assistance, and mine risk education (MRE), among others. Since 1995, the Organization of American States (OAS) has carried out demining programs in Central America, concentrating its efforts in four countries: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. This program has been carried out in the region with the support of donor countries, beneficiary countries, contributing countries and the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB).

Landmine And Uxo Safety: The “Duty Of Care”, Sebastian Kasack

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A long wheelbase Landcruiser can seat 13 people: five in the front and eight in the rear. Usually those sitting in the rear cannot use seat belts because there are none, and those in front often choose not to wear them. Besides, at the end of the world, as the Portuguese called the southeastern corner of Angola, it is very unlikely you will meet another car anyway, so why wear seat belts?

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 …

Fusing Aerial Multispectral Imagery And High-Resolution Photography, Milan Bajic

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Aerial remote sensing is useful for spotting indicators in the survey of mine-suspected areas and minefields. Because the detection of landmines in the soil and under the vegetation cover is not yet practical, the minefield indicators and their electromagnetic signatures provide means for detection of the mine-suspected areas and minefields. The minefield indicators can be natural (e.g., vegetation cover) over a large spatial extent, or else artificial or man-made (e.g., trenches, bunkers, demolished objects) over a small spatial extent. The dimensions of artificial minefield indicators require use of multi-spectral sensors and aerial images with spatial resolution below one meter. Due …

Machines Can Get The Job Done Faster, Alexander Griffiths

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) published A Study of Mechanical Application in Demining in June 2004. The study looked at the most suitable roles for machines in demining, examined the potential for machines to be considered a primary clearance tool, explained factors involved in protecting operators and presented a software model to help programme managers understand the cost-effectiveness of their mechanical assets. In 2005, the GICHD plans to release six more sub-studies related to mechanical demining. The following article explains some aspects of the operational tasks where machines are currently employed.

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.

Working Towards A Mine-Free Hemisphere, Suzanne Fiederlein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The government of Ecuador served as the host of the Americas Regional Mine Action Conference "One More Step Toward a Mine-Free Hemisphere" held in Quito, Ecuador, on August 12–13, 2004. The government of Canada and the Organization of American States Mine Action Program (AICMA, for its initials in Spanish) co-sponsored the conference, the fourth in a series of annual meetings convened in the region since 2001.

International Mine Action Standards: Some Frequently Asked Questions And Answers, Phil Bean

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) were requested by the mine action community and are produced and sponsored by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), with support from a variety of organisations, including the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD). The initial design and development of the standards involved extensive participation from representative elements of the mine action sector during the period of 1998–2000. Since that time, the sector has continued to expand with the addition of new programmes and new people joining the sector. IMAS continue to evolve and now benefit from the experience of practical application into …

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 …

From Desperation To Self-Confidence: An Interview With Landmine Survivor Mr. Francisco Peralta, Juan Carlos Ruan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mr. Francisco Peralta is a Nicaraguan landmine survivor from Ocotal, Department of Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, who, as with many landmine victims, lost much more than his limbs to this weapon. Mr. Peralta lost his livelihood, his ability to support his family, his self-confidence, and his overall happiness. Through his integration into the Organization of American States’ (OAS’s) rehabilitation program, however, his life has changed 100 percent. Today he stands as a testament to the success of the OAS program and the need for this type of program to assist landmine survivors and help them literally and figuratively get back on …

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 …

The Role Of Military Technical Advisors, Rohan Maxwell

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 1989 a multinational contingent of soldiers began to arrive in Pakistan to support a humanitarian mine action program for Afghan refugees. They were, in effect, Technical Advisors (TAs) in the field of humanitarian mine action, and in the years since, military TAs have participated in many other programs. This has not been without its controversial aspects.

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 Vs. Military Mine Action, Nicole Kreger

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and commercial companies are well-known in the mine action community for conducting demining operations all over the world. But there is another breed of deminer that is becoming more and more common—the military. Militaries often have different objectives, tactics, opinions and experiences from professional mine action practitioners, which is frequently reflected in the way they conduct clearance operations. Can two groups so different find some common ground and work towards a world in which they not only coexist, but actually work in tandem to assist one another in carrying out demining?

Operation Enduring Freedom: The Role Of Polish Engineers In Afghanistan, Boguslaw Bebenek, Hanna Madziar, Wojciech Chyla

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Polish Military Contingent, located at Bagram Base, 65 km from Kabul, has been contributing to peacekeeping missions withinOperation Enduring Freedom since March 2002. In addition to the platoon's main responsibilities of engineering reconnaissance and mine clearance, the platoon is also responsible for building fortification structures, developing base infrastructure, loading and transporting constructing materials, and conducting different kinds of ground works, mainly in the surrounding area of the base.

On The Ground In Iraq, Jo Foster

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MineTech International (MTI) has been stationed in southern Iraq since May 2003, working on humanitarian mine and ammunition clearing projects and as part of its brief, working to deliver rapid response demining support for the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS).

The Role Of The Military In Mine Action, Ian Mansfield, Eric Filippino

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article is drawn from a study conducted by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) entitled A Study of the Role of the Military in Mine Action, published in September 2003. The study was commissioned by the United Nations, and sought to address issues such as the suitability, appropriateness and capability of the military to undertake mine action. The findings show that while using military actors in mine action is not always appropriate, militaries can play a positive role.

The Military In Mine Action: An Interview With Ltc Bob Crowley, U.S. Southcom, Nicole Kreger

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Military in Mine Action: An Interview With LTC Bob Crowley, U.S. SOUTHCOM

The Israeli Defense Force's Humanitarian Demining Efforts, Ahron Etengoff, Gerald Steinberg, Jennette Townsend

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) Engineering Corps is the mine action center of Israel. Currently, IDF is engaged in various activities in response to the Palestinian terror campaign and does not have the resources to participate in international demining programs. However, the Israeli government views the issue of international cooperation in the areas of mine clearance, mine awareness and mine victim rehabilitation to be of major importance, despite the difficult budgetary situation. In addition, IDF continues to prioritize mine action internally.

The Journal Of Mine Action Issue 8.1 (2004), Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Role of the Military in Mine Action

Mine Injury Casualties Report From The Iraq-Kuwait Dmz, B.M. Schneider, V. Ehmann, M. Gebler, M. Pohlers, J. Bronnert, M. Schneider, V. Bartke, H. Woltering, B. Domres

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After the implementation of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) at the end of the first Gulf War in 1990, a medical team was set up in 1991 to support the UN troops in their difficult tasks in the demilitarised zone (DMZ), a remote desert area between Kuwait and Iraq. The medical team was designed to take care of the medical treatment for the UNIKOM members and the nomadic people living in the DMZ as pointed out in UN Secretary-General reports S/2001/287 and S/2001/913 on the official UN website.

The Use Of Belgian Military Experts In Eod, Vincent Muylkens

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For many years, a large debate over the use of military experts in humanitarian demining has existed. Some individuals are against military demining arguing the military performs different techniques and holds different priorities from humanitarian demining. Others are favourable toward military demining, as they are the majority of demining centres. The Belgian military has been active in demining since World War I (WWI). Still today, explosive remnants from WWI and World War II (WWII) remain a daily concern in the life of Belgians. The minefields have been cleared for many years, yet every day military experts still dispose of UXO …

The Sdok Kok Thom Integrated Demining Project, Paddy Blagden

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Sdok Kok Thom Project in Thailand was an ideal project in order for the Japan Alliance for Humanitarian Demining Support (JAHDS) to create a mine clearance capability. The project site was compact, easily accessible and the vegetation varied from sparse to very dense, which made it possible to create a progressive training scheme of increasing complexity. This allowed the mine clearers to progress in steps towards the most difficult and challenging stages. One of the main points of the project was to incorporate a high degree of integrated demining, i.e., demining using the three major tools in the mine …

Itep/Jmu Database Of International Experiences: Supporting The Test And Evaluation Community, Franciska Borry, Dieter Guelle

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A new database has been added to the James Madison University (JMU) Lessons Learned database, with more specific content and aim. The specific content reflects the main tasks that the International Test and Evaluation Program (ITEP) for humanitarian demining has agreed on in its Memorandum of Understanding, namely to evaluate and standardise the process of equipment testing in the humanitarian demining industry. The JMU Mine Action Information Centre (MAIC) maintains the database, whereas the ITEP Secretariat is responsible for its content.

Mine Spike: A Landmine Neutralisation Tool For Combat Scenarios, Brett Lowery

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmine clearance operations can be broadly categorised into two roles: military and humanitarian demining. Military operations often require a fast passage through minefields to maintain the tempo of advance. This is known as "breaching" and it involves either rapidly clearing mines from an intended route (for example by a mineplough) or marking the mines so they can be avoided. Other military scenarios may require the clearance of mines and UXO before setting up a military outpost. Once the main conflict and initial military clean-up has ended, humanitarian demining agencies move in to clear the area of mines and UXO, making …

Afghan Technical Consultants: A Brief Overview, Kefayatullah Eblagh

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC) was established in 1989 as the first humanitarian mine clearance organization sponsored by the United Nations. Through February 2004, ATC had cleared 82.4 sq km of high-priority mined areas and 192.7 sq km of former battlefields. During its 14 years of operations, ATC has located and destroyed a total of 3,437 anti-vehicle mines, 143,392 anti-personnel mines and 1,611,676 pieces of UXO. ATC currently employs nearly 2,000 personnel working in every region of Afghanistan.

After The Taliban: Opportunities And Challenges In Mine Action In Afghanistan, 2002–2003, Patrick Fruchet

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article has been removed.

Serving Mine Action With Technology, Pehr Lodhammar

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) is a Swedish governmental organization. It maintains a high level of emergency preparedness so that, with short notice, it can assist during international relief operations with specialist personnel and equipment. SRSA involvement in international mine action mainly supports Mine Action Coordination Centers (MACCs) through the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), where SRSA personnel hold positions within the MACC. SRSA has been contributing to research and development of new mine detection and clearance technology by concentrating on two specific projects: BIOSENS and DEMAND.

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 …