Jenny2

Ninety countries in the world today are affected by landmines. Within these countries, an estimated 24,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year by these mines. Mine action is the response to this issue. Its core components are victim assistance, advocacy, mine clearance, stockpile destruction, and mine awareness. Landmines are damaging physically, economically, psychologically, and socially. The continued growth and development of mine action is necessary to rid the world of all landmines, and to help those who have already been affected.
Landmines are explosive weapons developed and used by the military. Armed forces have laid these weapons in the ground throughout conflicts with other countries. Sudan, Iraq, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Peru, Nepal, and Angola are several of the many countries affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). UXO are very similar to landmines, and are considered mines. Millions of unidentified mines remain, serving as a potential threat to unaware men, women, and children. An underground mine will explode when someone steps on the soil above its location. Mines are sometimes spread out over a vast land area. However, they are also sometimes concentrated within a small community. The locations of many landmine sites are often either unrecognized or kept confidential. More landmines are stockpiled by States Parties than are laid in the ground. Although these stockpiled antipersonnel landmines are dangerous, their effects are not as crippling as that of buried landmines, since civilians can at least attempt to see and avoid stockpiled landmines.
"From my experience in peacekeeping, I have seen first-hand the literally crippling effects of landmines and unexploded ordnance on people and communities alike. Not only do these abominable weapons lie buried in silence and in their millions, waiting to kill or main innocent women and children; but the presence - or even fear of the presence - of a single landmine can prevent the cultivation of an entire field, rob a whole village of its livelihood, place yet another obstacle on a country�s road to reconstruction and development.�
                           Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, April 1999
Landmines do not simply harm the bodies; they damage the minds, spirits, and economics of entire communities. Death is the greatest consequence of landmine explosions. Loss of limbs is another major problem due to landmines. Most countries containing landmines are very poor countries, therefore, help for landmine victims is not readily available. This lack of proper health care for those injured by landmines often causes results in disease, which can consequently results in mental problems or death. Militaries often placed landmines within its own country, its own communities. The purpose of this was to injure and kill opposing ground troops that were expected to enter those areas. Entire villages and communities were forced to leave their homes to avoid being hurt. These people are known as Internally Displaced People (IDP). They want to journey back home, but are afraid of the mines that still remain in their communities. Fear is a great mental effect of landmines. People are afraid of these unseen killers. They have no control over the situation. All they can do is hope they or their children will not take a fatal step. Landmines also negatively affect countries economically. People are unable to cultivate the land that is, or that they fear is, polluted with landmines. Many farmers have abandoned their land. This reduces the number of exports and causes a great economic loss for the countries in which this happens.
The mine action program is working to resolve the issue of landmines. Several organizations are strong supporters of mine action: United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Landmine Survivors Network (LSN), World Rehabilitation Fund (WRF), Handicap International (HI) Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), and various organizations within the affected countries. Each organization takes on different responsibilities in order to balance the mine action system and ensure that each of the five components of the system is being fulfilled.
Victim assistance was developed to help those who were injured by mines, and those who were forced out of their homes. The Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty, a huge advance towards the elimination of landmines, was drawn in 1998. Nearly 120 countries have signed this treaty, vowing to eliminate the use of landmines in any situation. This treaty also obligates each State Party to care for and rehabilitate victims of landmines. Countries are also bound to socially and economically reintegrate both mine victims and mine awareness programs. The United Nations (UN) and its entities develop appropriate standards and methodologies for victim assistance and for promoting capacity building in this particular area.
Although landmines were originally developed for military use, civilians have recently been deliberately targeted in conflicts in order to control their movements and damage their mental health. Both advocacy and conventions serve to inform and persuade the public to stand up for the total ban of antipersonnel landmines. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1997.   By adopting the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty, the international community promoted the idea that the affected populations have the right to live free from the threat of landmines and receive assistance to make this idea become a reality. This advocacy has created a moral and legal obligation to those who are able to assist affected countries to do so. Even though advocacy has gotten a huge response, the battle is not near over. Some countries still use landmines as weapons of war. All components of mine action must be fulfilled and the support of this cause must continue.
Mine clearance is a vital part of mine action, yet it is perhaps the most tricky. Surveys, mapping and minefield marking are all used to aid in the actual clearance of mines. This range of activities is known as �demining.� Mine clearance often allows the safe return of refugees and IDP. Mine clearance also allows reconstruction and humanitarian assistance. Mine clearance is costly, but it is overall economically profitable, since it allows the social recovery of affected communities, therefore, promotes the cultivation of land. Mine detection systems and mechanical means are used to remove mines, but manual clearance is the preferred method, since it is cheaper and more reliable. Mine clearance activities are screened by a Mine Action Authority or Coordination Center. The clearance operations are carried out by national civilian agencies, military units, or commercial organizations.
Many armed forces have stockpiles of landmines. Stockpile destruction is required by the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty. All stockpiles must be destroyed by March 2003. The UN promotes the careful and effective management of stockpile destruction programs. Stockpile destruction is actually a delicate process and must be handled carefully to attain effective results.
Mine awareness is the final component of mine action. Mine awareness is not merely advocacy or awareness of this landmine problem that many countries are being affected by, although this is a part of it. Mine awareness is also the campaign to spread information and risk reduction education to those who are forced to live with the areas containing landmines. These people are taught to respect and maintain signs marking unsafe areas. They are also taught to adjust habits in order to live with the threat of landmines. They are taught to develop safe behaviors. UNICEF leads the mine awareness and risk reduction education campaign. It played a major role in establishing a Mine Awareness Working Group to develop international standards on mine awareness and risk reduction education programs.
Much has been done to eliminate landmines worldwide. However, much is also not being done. Iraq is one country that will not sign the Mine Ban Treaty. Mine clearance is a costly process, and limited funding hinders complete mine clearance. While the removal of landmines is a hot topic today, people quickly move on to support other issues, issues they feel are more pressing. If the world is ever going to become mine-free, the absolute removal of landmines must continue to be an issue. Mine action must continue to receive the support it needs until all countries are mine-free.

References:
United Nations (2001). Mine Action. [online]
Available: http://www.mineaction.org
(December 4, 2001)
Humanitarian Mine Action (2001). Landmine Monitor Report 2001. [online]
Available: http://www.icbl.org/lm/2001/intro/hma.html
(December 4, 2001)

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