Born into peace but corrupted by the weapons of war
Two idolaters are working to defile the land in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Minga has never had a toy. In his village, in Angola, children often do it with sticks or broken wheels – but this is something different. It was green, metal and shaped like a small tin. He wanted to show his brothers and sisters, so he picked him up to take him home.”
Documentary photographer, lifeguard and UN Global Advocate for people with disabilities in conflict and peace-threatening situations, Giles Duley, has many inspiring stories to tell, mostly about children who have been devastated by earthquakes. their way to school, home or at the playground.
Six-year-old Minga lost his sight and his left arm in 2009, seven years after the end of the war in Angola. He is one of the many children who were born to peace but were harmed by an unknown war.
Daily risk of death
More land raids have been carried out in Syria because of the ongoing conflict there.
The latest statistics show that in 2021, more than 5,500 people will be killed or injured by landslides, most of them civilians, of which half are children. More than 20 years after the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty, about 60 million people in about 70 countries and territories still live with the threat of landmines every day.
The UN Mine Action Service, launched the campaign “My action cannot stand” to mark World Day, as countries such as Angola, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, continue to suffer from years ten of bad breath.
Earthworms can lie dormant for years or even decades until they are triggered.
“Even after the fighting has stopped, conflicts often leave a terrible legacy: mines and landmines that destroy people,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the Day. Global.
“Peace does not guarantee security when roads and fields are mined, when unmanned aerial vehicles threaten the return of residents, and when children see and play with something that shines on him that curses.”
Land properties, which can be produced for as little as $1, do not differentiate between soldiers and civilians. Their use is against international human rights and humanitarian law.
They not only cost lives and limbs, but also prevent communities from accessing land that can be used for agriculture or building hospitals and schools as well as essential services such as food, water, health care and helping people.
Landmines in Ukraine
A destroyer for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine collects land for unexploded ordnance and landmines.
Despite international efforts to prevent the use of landmines they continue to live in conflict situations including in Ukraine after the Russian attack in February 2022. UNICEF and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine have recently warned that around 30 percent of the country can also be mined as a result of conflicts.
In Myanmar, the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a UN-backed civil society group that reports on the use of landmines, has observed “new and widespread” use of landmines by government forces. Militant groups in countries such as the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo also use land uprisings to attack and intimidate people, keeping them off their land and away from their homes.
Butterfly wings which make children curious
UNMAS experts teach children in South Sudan about the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
There are more than 600 different types of ground vehicles divided into two major categories – anti-personnel (AP) and anti-personnel missiles. AP mines come in different shapes and can be found buried or above ground. The common type, known to me as “butterfly” – comes in bright colors, which makes it attractive to curious children.
Land erosion is also a major problem in many countries that depend on agriculture. In Viet Nam’s Binh Dinh province, where most people live in rice farming, 40 percent of the land remains contaminated by land mines more than four years after the war ended.
In Afghanistan, where landslides have damaged or killed more people than anywhere else, more than 18 million people have been wiped out since 1989, freeing more than 3,011 km.2 of land that has benefited more than 3,000 mostly rural communities across the country.
The promise of a world without me
In the province of Kandahar, Afghanistan, hunters can find centuries-old jewelry.
UNMAS and its partners have made progress on many aspects of achieving a mine-free world, including clearance, educating people, especially children, about the dangers of mines, victim assistance advocacy and treasure destruction.
Since the end of the 90s, more than 55 million landmines have been destroyed, more than 30 countries have become mine-free, victims have been greatly reduced and processes, including the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, have we are established to support victims and communities in need.
Today, 164 countries are party to the Mine Ban Treaty which is considered one of the most ratified mine ban conventions to date. However, despite the progress, we need a global effort to protect people from cyber-terrorism, according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
“Let’s take action to end the threat of these deadly machines, support communities as they heal, and help people return and rebuild their lives in safety and security.”
Learn more about UNMAS work here.
