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Reports
on Nepal's Civil War: Landmines
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Reports
on Landmines in Nepal
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Unexploded
ordnance threatens new freedom
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KATHMANDU,
21 Jan 2007 (IRIN)
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| Aid
workers warn that the increased freedom of movement that has followed the
2006 peace deal between the government and the Maoists could put people's
lives at risk as mines and unexploded ordnance have not yet been cleared. |
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"The
end of the armed conflict does not mean there is safety," said mine and
bomb risk specialist Hagues Laurenge from the United Nations Children's
Fund, UNICEF.
During
the conflict, civilians were not allowed to move freely due to restrictions
enforced by the security forces and the danger of getting caught in battles
between the Nepalese Army and the Maoists. But now this has changed and
lives could be at risk.
The
arms management agreement aims to remove improvised explosive devices (IEDs)
made by the Maoists and landmines planted by the government within 60 days
of its signing in December, but some experts claim that would not be possible
technically.
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to the Nepalese Army, so far only one of the minefields has been cleared
by its personnel and more mine clearance plans are under way.
Fences
are being built to mark mined areas but so far only a few sites have been
cleared. The authorities and international organisations are trying to
raise awareness of the dangers among local communities.
As
part of the arms management deal struck in December 2006, the Maoists agreed
to give locations of IEDs and store them in areas near military cantonment
sites. But experts say there is also an urgent need to immediately destroy
the unstable devices once they have been gathered.
"It
is safe to store as many rifles as you want, but we cannot take the risk
for IEDs," warned Laurenge, adding that when a device explodes it can trigger
off others in close proximity.
In
2006, there were about 86 explosions, causing 146 casualties, from landmines
laid by government forces, and IEDs planted by the Maoists, according to
UNICEF and a local human rights group, INSEC. |
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This
was an 80 percent increase on incidents in 2005, according to their findings.
According
to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Nepal is among the top
10 countries for civilian casualties from mine and IED explosions.
About
57 percent of victims are children, who are most vulnerable because the
devices were placed randomly near households and in fields, where children
play. There are more than 12,000 mines in 50 landmine fields - including
anti-personnel and command-detonated landmines in 37 districts, according
to the Nepalese Army.
There
are no accurate figures on IEDs, but the army and UNICEF estimate between
100,000 and 500,000 have been planted around the country.
The
Nepalese government has not yet signed the International Landmine Ban Treaty,
but following the peace agreement between the authorities and the Maoists
in 2006, human rights agencies and the UN are calling on Kathmandu to sign
up this year.
"We
will be organising a massive campaign by the end of this month about the
explosive devices as civilians are most at risk," said Laurenge.
The
Nepalese Army has 15 explosive ordnance disposal teams on standby to deal
with all types of devices, including IEDs and landmines. However, clearing
49 anti-personnel minefields is a huge task that will probably require
additional international support, said Laurenge.
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Credit
IRIN 2007
Copyright
© UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2007
[
This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
Integrated
Regional Information Networks (IRIN), part of the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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