Chechnya said deadliest nation for mines
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
The Associated Press
9/9/2003, 11:36 a.m. CT
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/intern...dex.ssf?/base/
international-2/106312584111190.xml
WASHINGTON (AP) - More people were killed by land mines during
the continuing conflict in Chechnya last year than anywhere else
in the world, a watchdog group said Tuesday.
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which won the
1997 Nobel Peace Prize, reported that 5,695 people were killed by
land mines in Chechnya in 2002, more than double the 2,140
casualties a year earlier. The group said Russian troops and
Chechen rebels both use mines in the breakaway Russian region.
"Fighting, replete with massive violations of human rights and
laws of war, including widespread use of mines by both sides,
continues," the group said.
Overall, the group reported progress in its campaign. For
example, 69 countries have destroyed 52 million mines in recent
years.
"Progress on the land mine issue remains firm," said Jody
Williams, who shared the Nobel prize with the group she helped
create. "Use is down dramatically. The amount of money given for
mine clearance is up."
A massive mine-clearing effort in Afghanistan is having the
desired effect, lowering the toll from mines from 1,445 in 2001 to
1,286 last year, still the world's second-deadliest toll.
About $64 million was spent last year on mine-clearing
operations, four times greater than in 2001, after U.S.-led forces
ousted the Taliban government.
The group said 136 countries, including Afghanistan, had ratified
a treaty to ban land mines. The agreement awaits ratification in
another 12. The United States, Russia and China are among the
47 countries that have yet to sign the treaty.
The Bush administration is reviewing the U.S. policy toward land
mines. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines said the
administration had stockpiled mines to use in the recent Iraq war
but did not deploy them.
Still, the number of reported deaths from mines in Iraq, which
continued to deploy them until the U.S. invasion earlier this year,
rose from 360 in 2001 to 457 in 2002.
Six governments used land mines in 2002, down from nine in
2001 and 13 in 2000, the group said. This year, only two
countries - Myanmar and Russia - continued to use mines on a
regular basis, the group said.
The number of deaths in Myanmar, also known as Burma, doubled
from 57 in 2001 to 114 in 2002. The Burmese military has been
accused of forcing people to walk in front of patrols in suspected
minefields, so-called atrocity de-mining.
Another country that experienced a sharp increase in deaths was
Colombia, where both rebel forces and paramilitary troops use
mines. The number of casualties rose from 216 in 2001 to 530 in
2002.
The report found that 11,700 people around the world were
reported killed by mines last year, including 2,649 children and
192 women. The advocacy group said the total is higher because
civilians are killed in areas with no help and no way to
communicate, so their deaths are not reported.
Nine of the world's 15 current land mine producers are in Asia:
China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan,
Singapore and Vietnam. Nepal was added to the list this year after
the government in Katmandu admitted producing mines.
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
The Associated Press
9/9/2003, 11:36 a.m. CT
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/intern...dex.ssf?/base/
international-2/106312584111190.xml
WASHINGTON (AP) - More people were killed by land mines during
the continuing conflict in Chechnya last year than anywhere else
in the world, a watchdog group said Tuesday.
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which won the
1997 Nobel Peace Prize, reported that 5,695 people were killed by
land mines in Chechnya in 2002, more than double the 2,140
casualties a year earlier. The group said Russian troops and
Chechen rebels both use mines in the breakaway Russian region.
"Fighting, replete with massive violations of human rights and
laws of war, including widespread use of mines by both sides,
continues," the group said.
Overall, the group reported progress in its campaign. For
example, 69 countries have destroyed 52 million mines in recent
years.
"Progress on the land mine issue remains firm," said Jody
Williams, who shared the Nobel prize with the group she helped
create. "Use is down dramatically. The amount of money given for
mine clearance is up."
A massive mine-clearing effort in Afghanistan is having the
desired effect, lowering the toll from mines from 1,445 in 2001 to
1,286 last year, still the world's second-deadliest toll.
About $64 million was spent last year on mine-clearing
operations, four times greater than in 2001, after U.S.-led forces
ousted the Taliban government.
The group said 136 countries, including Afghanistan, had ratified
a treaty to ban land mines. The agreement awaits ratification in
another 12. The United States, Russia and China are among the
47 countries that have yet to sign the treaty.
The Bush administration is reviewing the U.S. policy toward land
mines. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines said the
administration had stockpiled mines to use in the recent Iraq war
but did not deploy them.
Still, the number of reported deaths from mines in Iraq, which
continued to deploy them until the U.S. invasion earlier this year,
rose from 360 in 2001 to 457 in 2002.
Six governments used land mines in 2002, down from nine in
2001 and 13 in 2000, the group said. This year, only two
countries - Myanmar and Russia - continued to use mines on a
regular basis, the group said.
The number of deaths in Myanmar, also known as Burma, doubled
from 57 in 2001 to 114 in 2002. The Burmese military has been
accused of forcing people to walk in front of patrols in suspected
minefields, so-called atrocity de-mining.
Another country that experienced a sharp increase in deaths was
Colombia, where both rebel forces and paramilitary troops use
mines. The number of casualties rose from 216 in 2001 to 530 in
2002.
The report found that 11,700 people around the world were
reported killed by mines last year, including 2,649 children and
192 women. The advocacy group said the total is higher because
civilians are killed in areas with no help and no way to
communicate, so their deaths are not reported.
Nine of the world's 15 current land mine producers are in Asia:
China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan,
Singapore and Vietnam. Nepal was added to the list this year after
the government in Katmandu admitted producing mines.
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