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mines

Section
Anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war
Section devoted to the victims of anti-personnel mines and other explosive remnants of war. It includes global information by region, press articles, photos, personal stories, publications and links towards relevant sites. There are also links to other sections within this website relating to ICRC campaigns against indiscriminate weaponry and its activities aimed at preventing accidents, helping victims and developing and fostering respect for international humanitarian law.
Tenth anniversary of the Mine Ban Convention
Ending the deadly legacy of war, editorial by Philip Spoerri, ICRC's director of international law

Tenth anniversary of the Mine Ban Convention , by Peter Herby, Head of ICRC Arms Unit
See also
  • Factsheet
  • Map - States parties and signatories.
  • Afghanistan: mine victims tell their stories - photo gallery
  • ©ICRC/KH-D-00075-22

    Anti-personnel landmines and other explosive remnants of war continue to pose a threat and to maim and kill indiscriminately long after hostilities have ended. In addition, they hinder post-conflict reconstruction and economic development. Landmines are unique weapons in that the injuries they cause, such as the loss one or more limbs, are particularly horrific and their victims are usually civilians. Survivors are disabled for life and require long-term assistance.

    Governments have responded to the humanitarian crisis caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war banning anti-personnel mines in the 1997 Mine Ban Convention and fixing the responsibilities for removing explosive remnants of war after hostilities in the 2003 Protocol. Along with the 1996 Protocol which includes restrictions on the use of anti-vehicle mines these treaties constitute the international legal framework to prevent and address the human suffering caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war.

    Humanitarian needs include lifelong assistance for the care, rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration of victims and measures to prevent further casualties. To these ends, the ICRC provides assistance for emergency and hospital care and physical rehabilitation in mine-affected countries. In cooperation with national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, the ICRC also supports preventive measures to protect people from death and injury by mines and unexploded munitions, including measures to facilitate safe access to food, water and other basic necessities of life.


    See also the following sections:

  • International humanitarian law: Landmines and IHL, Explosive remnants of war, Cluster munitions Conventional weapons,, Examples of national legislation (ICRC database on national measures)

  • ICRC activities: Mine Action, War surgery, Physical rehabilitation

  • Publications: Landmines, War surgery, Physical rehabilitation


  • Key document
      24-11-2008
      Ninth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines
      Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, Geneva, 24- 28 November 2008. Statement by Christine Beerli, Vice-President of the ICRC
      (Humanitarian law\Weapons\Landmines)
      Official Statement

      29-11-2007
      Ending the deadly legacy of war
      The Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines (known as the Ottawa Convention) marks its tenth anniversary on 3 December 2007. While considerable progress has been made in the past decade towards eradicating these weapons worldwide, major challenges remain - not least addressing the lifelong needs of hundreds of thousands of mine victims. Moreover, landmines are not the only type of weapon that go on killing after conflicts. Philip Spoerri, the ICRC's director of international law, explains.
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Official Statement

      19-11-2007
      Eighth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines
      Eighth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, statement by Mr. Olivier Vodoz, vice-president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Dead Sea, Jordan 18 November 2007
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Official Statement

      25-10-2007
      The ICRC's position on cluster munitions and the need for urgent action
      Statement to Geneva Diplomatic Missions by Dr Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 25 October 2007
      (Humanitarian law\Weapons\Conventional weapons)
      Official Statement

      19-10-2007
      Tenth anniversary of the mine ban Convention - from mines to cluster munitions
      Mobilising to stop weapons which keep on killing. Notes from the presentation by Peter Herby, Head of the ICRC Arms Unit, Oslo, 18 September 2007
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Official Statement

    Maps
    Feature
      20-4-2009
      What the ICRC is doing to reduce the risks and effects of weapon contamination
      What the ICRC is doing to reduce the effects of weapon contamination on civilians: data gathering and analysis, risk reduction, risk education, survey and clearance.
      (ICRC Activities\Mine action)
      Feature

      30-9-2008
      Azerbaijan: safe playgrounds for children
      Although the hostilities in the Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan were suspended over a decade ago, their deadly legacy lives on in the form of landmines. The ICRC endeavours to prevent the havoc they cause.
      (The ICRC worldwide\Eastern Europe and Central Asia\Azerbaijan)
      Feature Includes Photo

      13-5-2008
      Afghanistan: hope rising from the ashes
      Injuries from landmines over the last 25 years have left an estimated 100,000 or more Afghan people handicapped. Scattered throughout the country, landmines bring sudden and unexpected tragedy to many families. This is the story of Saddiq Ali, whose shattered life the ICRC is helping to rebuild.
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Afghanistan)
      Feature Includes Photo

      26-12-2007
      Cambodia: handicapped volleyball player achieves more than a medal
      When mine amputee Chim Phan helped his team to gain a bronze medal at the recent world cup final, it was his ultimate triumph over years of pain and struggle. One of thousands of mine victims in Cambodia, Phan represents a generation determined to overcome their handicap.
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Cambodia)
      Feature Includes Photo

      21-11-2007
      ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled: teaching does the most good
      Jacques Forget is one of five ortho-prosthetists with the ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled based in Addis-Ababa, who provide training and other support to rehabilitation centres in 17 African countries. He feels teaching provides the greatest impact in his line of work.
      (ICRC Activities\Assistance\Health\Physical rehabilitation)
      Feature Includes Photo

      15-10-2007
      Middle East and North Africa: anti-personnel mines, explosive remnants of war and cluster munitions
      The current situation in the region and the latest on the ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and the Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War.
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Feature Includes Photo

    ICRC film
      8-12-2004
      Relay for life
      This film presents the inspirational story of Najmuddin, Director of the ICRC orthopaedic centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, as he makes his way to Cairo to carry the Olympic flame and represent landmine victims throughout the world. Najmuddin lost both his legs at the age of eighteen when he drove over an anti-tank mine.
      (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\Assistance)
      ICRC film Includes Video

      31-12-2003
      A new life for Mohsin
      Mohsin, a young man from Kabul, Afghanistan, was badly injured in an accident two years ago which left him paraplegic. This video tells the story of how he overcame his terrible injury and found a new role in life as a grocery shop owner, with the help of the ICRC's Home Care programme.
      (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\Assistance)
      ICRC film

      31-12-1999
      The Ottawa treaty: towards a world free of anti-personnel mines
      In order to overcome one of the most serious problems of our times, the international community signed a treaty in Ottawa outlawing an invisible enemy that strikes blindly: anti-personnel mines. This informative documentary reviews the prohibitions – on the use, development, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel mines – and the obligations instituted by the treaty: the destruction of existing stockpiles, the clearance of mine-infested areas and the setting up of preventions and assistance programmes. It serves to remind us that the treaty's provisions represent a complete plan of action eradicating this scourge – an objective that can only be reached if the treaty is actually applied on the ground.
      (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\Prevention)
      ICRC film

    ICRC Publication
      21-9-2007
      Weapon contamination manual: Reducing the impact of explosive remnants of war and landmines through field activities
      This manual has been written to act as the ICRC’s Institutional reference on mine action, as a basis for ICRC mine action training and to provide guidance for those working in delegations where weapon-contamination is an issue. The manual consists of three books and it outlines a broad and flexible approach which includes rapid response, multisectoral approach (the application of assistance and protection to reduce impact) and cooperation/capacity building.
      (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Publications\Prevention)
      ICRC Publication Includes PDF

    Interview
      20-12-2007
      Anti-personnel landmines: the main challenges ahead
      In November 2007, States Parties to the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention met in Jordan to evaluate progress on the implementation of the ban on anti-personnel landmines. They also discussed the main challenges going forward in terms of clearance deadlines, stockpile destruction and victime assistance. An interview with Eve La Haye, legal adviser in the ICRC's arms unit.
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Interview Includes Photo

    Legal article
    Photo Collection
      27-11-2007
      Afghanistan – Measured success after decade of Mine-Ban Convention
      Ten years ago this December, the Mine-Ban Convention, or Ottawa Convention, was adopted by most of the world’s States. This photo essay explores some of the accomplishments and remaining challenges in one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.
      (Info resources\Photos\Asia and the Pacific)
      Photo Collection Includes Photo

      1-11-2004
      Trying to end the scourge of mines and other remnants of war
      Photo gallery on the dangers posed by landmines and ICRC activities worldwide to help the victims of these and other remnants of war.
      (Info resources\Photos)
      Photo Collection Includes Photo

    Press article
      8-12-2008
      Explosive remnants of war - long after the ceasefire, people continue to lose limbs
      As the world prepares for states to sign the Cluster Munitions Convention in Oslo this month, Nepalis still face the threat of being maimed by unexploded mines. Link to an article published on the Nepali Times website
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Nepal)
      Press articleMoheindu Chemjong

      26-4-2008
      A deadly harvest of cluster bombs in Laos
      Viengkeo Kavongsone had lived in fear of such a catastrophe all his life - in the jungle, in the paddy fields, on the mountain - but never in his own back yard. Article published in the Times, 26 April 2008
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Laos)
      Press articleRichard Lloyd Parry

      2-1-2008
      Putting a stop to cluster munitions
      After decades of failure and persistent civilian suffering caused by cluster munitions, global concern is gaining momentum to put an end to these terrible weapons. Article published in the Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine, No 3, 2007
      (Focus\Landmines)
      Press article

      2-1-2008
      Return to Vedeno
      While the situation is gradually returning to normal in hechnya, an ICRC worker gives an account of his return to the Vedeno area, a place he enjoyed in his youth. Article published in the Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine, No 3, 2007
      (The ICRC worldwide\Eastern Europe and Central Asia\Russia)
      Press article Includes Photo

      3-12-2007
      Landing on their feet
      Those who survive landmines seldom come away without loss of limbs – and hope. In Cambodia, the ICRC has set up two centres to provide prostheses, physiotherapy and a productive future for amputees. Article published in The Star Online
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Cambodia)
      Press article

      23-11-2007
      The weapon that keeps taking
      Link to an article published by the International Herald Tribune on 22 November 2007
      (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Afghanistan)
      Press articleNajmuddin Helal

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    4-07-2009