Landmines

What are they?

Anti-personnel landmines are designed specifically to push back soldiers from a specific area. These mines can kill or disable anyone who triggers them, and are activated by pressure, tripwire or remote detonation.

The most common type of mine, blast mines, are buried no deeper than a few centimetres underground and are generally triggered by someone stepping on the pressure plate, these mines are designed to destroy a person's foot or leg.

The problem with landmines

Part of the problem with landmines is that they are really cheap. An average landmine will cost just between $3 -$10. However, to remove a landmine once the conflict has moved on, costs a massive $300-$1000 and is incredibly slow and dangerous.  Finding them can also be tricky as they is often no way of knowing where the mines are. They can be in unmarked areas and are usually small and not always made of metal.

The scale of the problem is also frightening as there is an estimated 110 million landmines over 80 countries.  In fact in some countries there are up to 152 land mines for every square mile of land.  In both Iraq and Afghanistan there is an estimated 10 million landmines in each country.

Even years after a conflict is over, the landmines stay in the ground. They continue to injure and kill innocent adults and children; injuries such as burns, blindness and loss of limbs. In fact, according to the UN up to 20,000 people are killed or injured every year.

Many countries have now joined The Ottawa Treaty, which is a binding international law that has banned the production, selling and use of landmines. It also states that countries should get rid of their stockpiles of landmines and clear landmines in their own country. Finally it urges governments to help poorer countries to clear their land and help survivors suffering with landmine created injuries. Countries that still haven’t signed include Russia, and the USA.