It is believed that more than 200,000 square kilometers, across several countries, are contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance! This is apart from the several thousands of civilians and armed personnel maimed or killed by landmines.
A relatively little heard of movement called The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has been striving hard to propagate the cause for eradication of landmines. One would recollect Lady Diana, the Princess of Wales being among its most vocal and visible supporters.
I was reading the Landmine Monitor Report - 2008, and found some shocking facts, which I decided to outline here;
In 2007, Landmine Monitor identified 5,426 casualties caused by mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and victim-activated improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Of these, 1,401 people were killed, 3,939 injured, and the status of the remaining 86 is unknown.
These figures are by no means complete as they only include recorded casualties plus casualties Landmine Monitor was able to identify through the media. In 2006, at least 6,022 casualties were reported in 71 countries and areas.
More than a decade after the Mine Ban Treaty was signed, a truly reliable estimate of the size of the global landmine problem still does not exist.
Since May 2007, new and additional mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination occurred in several countries notably Afghanistan, Colombia, Gambia, Iraq, Mali, and Niger, as well as states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty such as Georgia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. As a consequence, more than 70 states, as well as six areas not internationally recognized, were believed to be mine-affected as of August 2008.
The adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in May 2008 highlighted a specific threat that Landmine Monitor has reported on for many years—that of unexploded submunitions. Although the full extent of contamination is not yet known, clearance operations in 2007 and 2008 revealed at least 25 countries with uncleared submunitions on their territory.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a significant part of the world's population severely handicapped in a few decades, owing to the effects of landmines!
I will leave you with an after-thought, one to ponder upon, that civil society has the power to change the world.
Footnotes:
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines - Wikipedia
The Landmine Monitor
A relatively little heard of movement called The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has been striving hard to propagate the cause for eradication of landmines. One would recollect Lady Diana, the Princess of Wales being among its most vocal and visible supporters.
I was reading the Landmine Monitor Report - 2008, and found some shocking facts, which I decided to outline here;
In 2007, Landmine Monitor identified 5,426 casualties caused by mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and victim-activated improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Of these, 1,401 people were killed, 3,939 injured, and the status of the remaining 86 is unknown.
These figures are by no means complete as they only include recorded casualties plus casualties Landmine Monitor was able to identify through the media. In 2006, at least 6,022 casualties were reported in 71 countries and areas.
More than a decade after the Mine Ban Treaty was signed, a truly reliable estimate of the size of the global landmine problem still does not exist.
Since May 2007, new and additional mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination occurred in several countries notably Afghanistan, Colombia, Gambia, Iraq, Mali, and Niger, as well as states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty such as Georgia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. As a consequence, more than 70 states, as well as six areas not internationally recognized, were believed to be mine-affected as of August 2008.
The adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in May 2008 highlighted a specific threat that Landmine Monitor has reported on for many years—that of unexploded submunitions. Although the full extent of contamination is not yet known, clearance operations in 2007 and 2008 revealed at least 25 countries with uncleared submunitions on their territory.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a significant part of the world's population severely handicapped in a few decades, owing to the effects of landmines!
I will leave you with an after-thought, one to ponder upon, that civil society has the power to change the world.
Footnotes:
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines - Wikipedia
The Landmine Monitor
WOAH!
ReplyDeleteSad..
Ha,
ReplyDeleteI thought I might die soon of one of the following causes - terrorist attack, global warming, nuclear war, pollution, terminal illness, accident.
Never thought of landmines. Thanks for adding one more to the list :-)
Cheers,
Salil
Nice piece but sad to read as well .........
ReplyDeleteHi Rak,
ReplyDeleteI was about to comment very seriously...but I see Salil's comment and now am laughing! :))
now back, So who do you think has changed the world so badly --- You cannot call them uncivilised....Because anthropologically no community in the world is today uncivilised!
anyway, what is to come may come....rama rama japichu kazhiyaam namukku :)
wishes,
devika
ty for spreading awareness thru this post Rakesh!
ReplyDeletelol @Salil's comment!
Keshi.
amazing!
ReplyDeleteand yes hope the malaise is wiped off but to do that hatred has to be wiped off!
Good post, I will agree with Magiceye's views.
ReplyDeleteVivek
ReplyDeleteYeah! Sad!
Rakesh
Salil
ReplyDeleteLol! On a lighter note, have you considered death by being run over by a womens group?
I'm referring to your posts and their contents! ;)
Some serious risk there, but I appreciate that! ;)
Just kiddin.....
Cheers
Rakesh
Rahul V
ReplyDeleteYeah, rather unfortunate!
Rakesh
Devika Chechi
ReplyDeleteI think the single most cause for people to turn against their own kind is decreasing tolerance and a want to dominate!
While anthropology may categorize us to be civilized beings, are we really so? I don't think so!
Like you said, Rama Rama japichu jeevitham kazhiyaam! Thats the only way ahead!
Rakesh
Keshi
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! And hats of to Salil!
Rakesh
Magiceye
ReplyDeleteVery good thoughts! Appreciate your comments!
Rakesh
Enzoferno
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, Magiceye's thoughts on this are wonderful!
Rakesh
@Rakesh:
ReplyDeleteLol to your thought on a lighter note.
But on a very serious note, I think I should add being run over by a single woman (my wife) as a possibility :-)
Cheers,
Salil
That is an obvious side effect of war. But aren't there any anti-landmine vehicles which could discover and dismantle such mines?
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
Salil
ReplyDeleteYes, sure! Please make sure you get doubly insured and step up ur security levels ;)
Cheers
Rakesh
DI
ReplyDeleteThe process is very cumbersome and dangerous despite availability of technology
Rakesh
Yes, i've been aware of this problem.. i mean not actively.. but the memories of a documentary seen long ago.. and a UN book read sumplace with this african child messing around with a mine.. innocently.. it had a great impact on my young mind back then.. but well.. I forgot to think much about it somewhere along the way..
ReplyDeleteA similar kind of tragedy exists near the firing ranges.. in india.. Inspite of guards warning people not to do stuff like this.. they will try to hunt the mud and the artificial sand barriers for metal to sell for scrap..and sumtimes accidents happen.. not so much as the landmines..but still every death a death.. wasteful one even more sad.
Samby
ReplyDeleteYeah, I vaguely remember an advert I say many years ago of an African infant playing with a landmine or something of that kind!
I've been drawn into this for sometime now and have been following it closely, thanks to Lady Di who was an ambassador!
Like you said, folks need to be educated that unexploded ordnance is not stuff you want to sell for scrap......at the cost of life!
Will they ever listen, one never will know!
Rakesh