About

Landmines
The Issue
W h at m a k e s antipersonnel landmines so abhorrent is the indiscriminate
destruction they cause. Landmines cannot be aimed. They lie dormant until a person or animal
triggers their detonating mechanism. Antipersonnel landmines cannot distinguish between the
footfall of a soldier and that of a child.

The Facts
It i s b e l i e v e d 60 to 70 million mines are in place around the world. Just a handful of mines—
or the mere suspicion that an area is mined—can make that land unusable for human activity.

Every region in the world is mine-affected. More than 75 countries are affected to some degree
by landmines and/or unexploded ordnance. Nobody knows how many mines are in the ground.
But the actual number is less important than their impact. More than 350 different types of
antipersonnel mines exist. Although millions of mines have been removed, landmines still injure
or kill about 15,000 to 20,000 people every year. An estimated 80 percent of landmine victims are
civilians; one-third of these are children.

Landmines have a devastating effect, not only on the people they kill and injure but also on
everyone who lives in the area. Landmines are now a daily threat in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia,
Cambodia, Chechnya, Croatia, Iraq, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Somalia, and dozens of other
countries. Mines recognize no cease-fire, and long after the fighting has stopped, they continue to
maim or kill. Mines also render large tracts of agricultural land unusable, wreaking environmental
and economic devastation. Refugees returning to their war-ravaged countries face this life-
threatening obstacle to rebuilding their lives.

Unfortunately, 13 countries continue to produce antipersonnel mines. Nine of the 13 mine

producers are in Asia (Burma, China, India, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan,
Singapore, and Vietnam), one is in the Middle East (Iran), two are in the Americas (Cuba and

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United States), and one is in Europe (Russia). At the same time, some armed nonstate actors or
rebel groups still produce homemade landmines such as improvised explosive devices.

T h e r e a r e tw o categories of landmines: antipersonnel (AP) and antitank or

antivehicle (AT).
» Antipersonnel landmine: A mine that is designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity, or
contact of a person and that will incapacitate, injure, or kill one or more persons.
» Antitank landmine: An AT mine is a device designed to detonate by more than 220 pounds of
pressure. AT mines cannot distinguish between a tank and tractor.

T h e r e a r e d ifferent types of AP mines, according to the type of injuries they inflict.

» Blast mines: usually hand-laid on or under the ground or scattered from the air. The explosive
force of the mine causes foot, leg, and groin injuries, and secondary infections usually result in
amputation.
» Fragmentation mines: usually laid on or under the ground and often activated by tripwire or
other means. When detonated, the explosion projects hundreds of fragments at ballistic speed
resulting in fragmentation wounds. Some fragmentation mines contain a primary charge to lift
the mine above the ground (about 5 feet) before detonating, which can injure an adult’s abdomen
and genitals or take off a child’s head.

Di f f e r e n t g roups of people have different viewpoints about the use of landmines.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), for example, argues that landmines do not
obey the laws of war and, therefore, are an illegal weapon. The laws of war dictate that soldiers
and their weapons discriminate between soldiers and civilians. Additionally, there is to be a balance
between military need and consequences to the civilian population.

Most AP mines are designed to maim in order to overload the enemy’s support system. In the
countries where landmines have been used in great numbers, the impact is overwhelming. The
psychological effect of landmines on the enemy is undeniable, but landmines also terrorize and
demoralize civil society. Put simply, anything that landmines can do to an enemy’s army, they
can do to a civilian population. What they cannot do is discriminate between the soldier and the
civilian. Neither can their impact be confined to the duration of the battle.

However, the continued use of landmines and the fact that 37 countries (including the United
States) have not signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty makes it clear that not all groups and nations
agree with the ICBL.

The issue of banning landmines has implications for people both now and in the future. Even if no
more mines were ever laid, they will continue to maim and kill for years to come. Bold steps must
be taken now to save future generations of innocent civilians. If sufficient funds were provided,
de-miners from the ICBL say that mine clearance to restore daily life to near normal levels may be
achieved in years, not decades.

Banning landmines is a geographic issue in nature because of the devastating effect, not only on
people but also because of their effect on the environment.

In countries where live landmines remain widespread, teaching people how to recognize the
different kinds of landmines, what to do if they find them, and first-aid techniques—such as how

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to stop massive bleeding—can save lives. This is achieved by Mine Awareness International teams
visiting communities to convey these important messages using drama, pictures, puppets, song, and
dance. Children are a particularly important group to target because they often mistake landmines
as toys.

The task of clearing mines is much slower and more costly than the manufacture and laying of
mines. Clearing one mine can cost from $330 to $930, compared with $3 to buy it. While paths
can be cleared by expensive heavy machinery to allow an army to pass, making an area safe for the
civilian population requires that every mine be removed.

C h i l d r e n a nd adults who are injured by landmines have physical, emotional, social, and
economic needs. After the surgeons have done their best to repair horribly mangled bodies, the
survivors need physiotherapy and retraining to cope with loss of eyesight, hearing, or mobility. Some
need crutches or artificial limbs. The most appropriate prosthetic devices are made locally because
they are cheaper, easier to modify or replace (every few years), and designed to match skin color.

Although artificial limbs are a visible need, it is just as vital to help the person return to as normal
a life as possible. Children need to be able to attend school, take part in games or sport, and help
with chores. Adults need to earn their own income or help to support the family, but jobs such
as farming or fetching water may be very difficult. Providing training in new skills, such as radio
and television repair, helps support mine survivors as they adapt to a new life. Many landmine
survivors say their greatest need is for acceptance by others in their family or community. Changing
attitudes about disability is a key part of this process.

While the international ban on landmines is a major achievement, the task remains to ensure that
more countries sign the treaty and that signatory governments honor their commitments. The
public can also continue to campaign for appropriate funding of mine clearance and long-term
assistance to landmine victims.

(Sources: Children Associated with Armed Groups, UNICEF, May 2006; Children in Conflict and
Emergencies, UNICEF; Too Young to Kill, Singer, Peter W., The Brookings Institute, January 2005; State of
the World Children, UNICEF, 2005)

What You Can Do

» Pray for government leaders who are making a decision on this very important issue and for the
innocent victims of landmines and cluster munitions.
» Go to www.worldvisionresources.com to make a monthly financial pledge to help provide for the
needs of children affected by war.

Copyright © 2009 by World Vision Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716,
253-815-3320, wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved.

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 About World Vision
W o r l d Vi s i o n i s a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to helping
children and their families break free from poverty. Our work is motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ. We see
a world where each child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can be
achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World Vision
is unique: We bring 60 years of experience in three key areas needed to help children and families thrive:
emergency relief, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across many areas of
expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care for children’s physical, social, emotional, and
spiritual well-being.

W o r l d Vi s i o n Re s o u r c e s educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to social justice,

and equips them with innovative resources to make a difference in the world. By developing biblically based
materials for educators and ministry leaders on the causes and consequences of global poverty, World Vision
Resources supports the organizational mandate to move the church in the United States to more fully embrace
its biblical responsibility to serve the poor.

For more information about

our resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

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wvresources@worldvision.org

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