“Landmines are indiscriminate... [They] can’t tell the difference between a child and a soldier.” - Jackie Hansen
Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor Program Manager for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munition Coalition
A young Afghan boy who was the victim of a landmine. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/3097156.stm
Land mines present a number of problems in countries that have been contaminated by them. They first and foremost make the countryside incredibly dangerous to all manner of people. Children, farmers, herders, traders, vehicles, livestock... landmines truly are indiscriminate and can be triggered by a very light amount of pressure. One wrong touch could be a disaster for a group of young children playing. Roads all over Afghanistan and Iraq are lined with mines and there are thousands of acres that are unusable because they still contain unexploded ordinance on them.
A man clearing landmines in Iraq wears meager protection as he searches the end limit of the trail. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7586533.stm
Currently the UN has a treaty signed against the use of landmines in any conflict. The US has not signed this treaty and does not strictly adhere to it. Though there have been some technological advances in anti-personnel devices such as timers and fail safes that should disable their effectiveness after a certain time period the left over munition is still dangerous and volatile. Currently there are several organizations that are determined to disarm landmines across the globe and specifically Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these organizations are: UNDP (United Nations Development Program), DDG (Danish Demining Group), IRU (International Road Transport Union), and UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service) and they are responsible for developing, outfitting, and training teams to detect and dismantle landmines.
Piles of unexploded ordinance that were either dug up or reclaimed from Iraq. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7586533.stm
Civilians tripping unexploded landmines is not the only problem with using them in conflicts. A vast majority of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) are made from left over munitions scavenged from American, coalition, and insurgent arsenals including landmines that were not detonated or improperly disposed of. These IED's are the number one cause of death to our troops and those troops of foreign nations. IED's are also responsible for the death's of Iraqi and Afghan troops and policemen as well as civilians. To raise awareness of landmines we can all "Lend our Leg" every April 4th for Landmine Awareness Day. This day just recently passed but we can all still join the cause by doing it once this month to spread awareness of the campaign to remove landmines from countries contaminated with them and the use of them in modern conflicts. Below is a video about the campaign to raise awareness.
Lending my Leg for International Mine Awareness Day.
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