Sunday June 21, 2009, 10:51 am
Children account for 1 in every 5 casualties.
Landmines: War's Lingering Menace
The Vietnam war ended over 25 years ago, but for many Vietnamese, the realities of the war still linger. In the years since the fall of Saigon, over 40,000 Vietnamese have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance (explosives) left behind from that conflict.

Every 22 minutes, someone around the world is killed or maimed by a landmine. One-third of the world's countries are littered with landmines and the U.S. State Department estimates that 60 to 75 million landmines remain unexploded in the ground worldwide.

Some expert’s estimate that between 12-18% of bombs dropped during the war didn’t explode on impact. Unexploded ordnance and buried landmines pose an ongoing and daily threat to the people of Vietnam, particularly in the Demilitarized Zone, the “DMZ,” which once separated North and South Vietnam. These munitions continue to inflict almost weekly injury and death on the farmers and innocent children of small villages like those in Quang Tri Province. Entire families suffer when the breadwinners of their families are incapacitated or killed by rogue explosives. After heavy rains or plowing, children wander through fields collecting unexploded munitions like toys, oblivious to their lethal power. Poverty and starvation now compound the problem, as farmers let lands go fallow rather than risk hitting a rogue mine while harvesting their fields.

The problem places a burden on the government as well – while it costs only $3.00 to lay a landmine it costs as much as $1,000 to remove one. In a cruel, ironic twist, some speculate the process of digging up the mines exposes leftover deposits of Agent Orange, a deadly toxic chemical, which U.S. forces used to defoliate trees during the war. The chemical makes its way from the soil to the water and eventually poisons a whole new generation of Vietnamese.

While the problems are grim, there is good news: several humanitarian agencies and private organizations have formed to increase education and awareness of the problem and to raise funds to help victims and to de-mine the fields and rice paddies. Groups like the grassroots PeaceTrees Vietnam are working alongside the Vietnamese people to reverse the destructive consequences of the war in Vietnam through healing, reconciliation and mutual cooperation. Through the support of donors and volunteers, PeaceTrees Vietnam and other like-minded organizations, sponsor the clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance and conducts environmental and community restoration projects, such as reforestation, landmine safety education centers for children and school renovation or resettlement activities. “The most meaningful part of this work is, for me, the opportunity to help bring hope to the kids of Quang Tri Province. It is truly wondrous to behold the healing that is taking place as Americans and Vietnamese work together on a peaceful future.” Chuck Meadows, Executive Director PeaceTrees Vietnam and Vietnam veteran.

To date PeaceTrees Vietnam, whose slogan is “Plant a tree…where a mine used to be,” has removed over 1,500 ordnance items and planted over 8,000 trees.


For more information on landmines:

Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
www.vvaf.org

Peace Trees Vietnam
www.peacetreesvietnam.org

International Campaign to Ban Landmines
http://www.icbl.org/

Clear Landmines
http://www.clearlandmines.com

Adopt-A-Minefield
http://www.landmines.org/

Sunday June 21, 2009, 11:25 am
Thanks Jillyanne! How sad this truly is... :(

Sunday June 21, 2009, 11:41 am
They were suppossed to clear all of this stuff out by now because this issue has been around befor thanx much 4 letting us know that this is still a problem-parden me while I go off muttering darkly things I cannot print but look like this*&^%^%%$ fools*&^^%%%%$#heartless and so on

Sunday June 21, 2009, 11:47 am
Noted..Thanks Jillyanne

Sunday June 21, 2009, 12:03 pm
Yes, and we are still using them, in Iraq, all over the mideast and who knows where else. Heartbreaking.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 2:25 pm
Yes, there is much more to the picture but I chose to post this article for many reasons. I won't go into all of it, but Vietnam is and was a sore spot and sad chapter in our country's history. Much healing is still needed here and there and if people aren't aware of this, they need to be. For a lot of people the actual "war" ended a long time ago. For others it is still going on, in the sense that it continues to have a tremendous effect on their lives. What we should have learned from Vietnam War
- just tossed out the window. Somehow the madness has to stop, somewhere, some day, some way. It's not hard to con a new generation who had no exposure to the Vietnam conflict at all as it ended before they were born, save their History classes at school or stories from others, to join the military to fight for their country without a realistic sense of what they are getting themselves into. So, as Helen Keller said, "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." So I work for peace. I have much respect for our soldiers and veterans, but I hate war. The damage done just goes on and on and on. It is so senseless. There is no reason why people cannot live in peace with each other. Somehow this goal must be obtained. Landmines are but one vestige of war among many that continue to do damage long into the future, as well as in the wars we cannot seem to stop starting or getting involved in going on now. This article has some very good links at the bottom. I really like the "Planting a tree...where a mine used to be" What a lovely idea...

Here is a bit of additional information on landmines, which clearly illustrates the magnitude of the problem.

According to the United Nations,
the 10 countries with the most
land mines still in place are:

Afghanistan 9-10 million
Angola 9 million
Iraq 5-10 million
Kuwait 5 million
Cambodia 4-7 million
Western Sahara 1-2 million
Mozambique 1-2 million
Somalia 1 million
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1 million
Croatia 1 million

Although if you look at a picture of the globe which shows how much of the world is littered by landmines - it covers quite a bit.

Land mines as protection

For most people, land mines are an insidious weapon, but to the people of South Korea they are also a safeguard for peace.

South Koreans believe mine fields help keep at bay the 1.1 million communist North Korean troops across the border.

Countless mines lie in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a buffer area running across the midsection of the divided peninsula.

An unknown number laid during the 1950-53 Korean War remain buried in what has since become a 2 1/2 mile-wide (4 km) demilitarized zone between the two Koreas.

Since the war ended, an additional, undisclosed number -- some estimates say tens of thousands, some say millions -- have been laid by South Korean soldiers and their U.S. allies south of the DMZ and by the North Koreans on their side.

Other facts about land mines, according to the ICRC and Human Rights Watch:

It would take $33 billion and 11 centuries, at the current pace, to clear the active mines scattered in 64 countries around the world.

A single land mine costs $3 to $30 to make.

The cost of finding and clearing a single land mine ranges from $300 to $1,000.

Thirty percent of land mine injuries require an amputation.

Thirty-eight countries make anti-personnel mines. Leading the list are China, Russia and the United States. To a lesser extent: France, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, India, Chile and Pakistan. They are also made Argentina.

More and more, mines are being made of plastic, which makes them almost impossible to find with metal detectors.

A 10-year-old child injured by a land mine would have to get sized for 25 different prostheses during his lifetime at a cost of $3,125. In many poor nations, most amputees have to settle for a lifetime with crutches.

A few notes not listed, animals too are killed and maimed by landmines and they are having enough trouble surviving, many on the brink of extinction. Ever seen an elephant with a prosthetic leg? They exist...

Regarding the DMZ being planted with so many landmines with the idea of keeping someone safe is not an acceptable reason to me but this should serve as a clue to those who think North Korea is not dangerous, to maybe rethink it a bit. The DMZ is unmistakenly the most dangerous place on the planet.

Check out the links listed! It is worth your while...

Sunday June 21, 2009, 3:14 pm
:0(

Sunday June 21, 2009, 4:42 pm
Great post Jillyanne. Thanks for the statistics.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 5:45 pm
So sad !

Sunday June 21, 2009, 6:00 pm
Landmines, clusters and depleted uranium are just some of the hazards left behind when a war as been waged over your home...all are lethal. Wars do not end...they go on killing...people like Handicap International work with the victims through our donations to replace limbs...and it is the children that seem to be the victims so often...clusters are often brightly colour bomb-lets that attract them...or the run over mines...or even in some countries earn money by digging them up and selling them...they reckon there is between a million and a million and a half bombs left behind by the second world war...then Korea, Vietnam and so it goes on.

We really do need to declare the peace and a cessation of all war on this earth...

Sunday June 21, 2009, 6:08 pm
Wow, every 22 minutes? Really this is horrible. We need to remove what we put down when we leave an area. Can't they use modern technology and scan areas and go in for removals all at once? Has to be a better way and cheaper way.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 6:19 pm
Very heartbreaking. Thanks Jillianne.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 6:57 pm
In my mind I can see a innocent child playing not even thinking about something like this and it happens his or her little life is taken by our left overs. Its heart breaking enough when war is going on and they loose love one's which is still happening today. To loose innocent people to left over mines this has to stop. Just like they passed a bill to put so much more money into the war in Afgan. So wrong bring our troops home and put the money here into the ecomoney instead of killing people. Thanks Jillianne

Sunday June 21, 2009, 7:15 pm
I was recently watching a programme about the clearance of WW11 landmines from the French countryside and at the present rate of clearance (which is quite impressive) France will be clear of mines in 700 years!
It is an outrage that so called enlightened goverments are still sanctioning use of these indiscrimate killers along with all those other technological marvels of modern warfare such as cluster bombs etc. by their armed forces while railing about suicide bombers. Their hypocrisy is astounding.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 7:22 pm
Thanks Jillianne!

Sunday June 21, 2009, 7:59 pm
I am a Vietnam Veteran, so can confirm much of what has been stated here, and add that the Viet Cong laid land mines in many areas, but were not recorded. Generally mine fields were marked, fenced, and recorded by the American and Australian forces. The Viet Cong were very clever fighters, they lifted heaps of mines from our mine fields, and reset them elsewhere against us.There was unexploded ordinance everywhere.
On reflection, we could have done so much for that country with a tiny amount that was spent on making war. I don't believe we should ever have gone there, it was all to do with the money making war industry ....and we are still being conned into this deadly game, by the same industry, on even grander scales.

As the song goes..
.Where have all the flowers gone?
When will we ever learn.....................
When will we e v e r l e a r n... Peter Paul and Mary.
Yes When???

Sunday June 21, 2009, 10:41 pm
wowwwwwwww i know the danger in my country we have 36 years of internal war and ever live with fear to the mines in the forest or farms .... please take action about this.... so much children's can give thank for conserve him legs and arms.
in my cuontry some childresn lose him legs or arms for landmines...
think about this.

Sunday June 21, 2009, 10:49 pm
In 1997, we lost the greatest champion
against landmines this planet ever had,
Princess Diana. The campaign against landmines
was one of her chief causes. Others carry on
her work, but they can't do what she was doing.
May God save the people who live in these countries
with millions of landmines.
Thank you, Jill, for a very important post.
noted.

Monday June 22, 2009, 9:47 am
Landmines, yes the sad reality of war... I live in South Africa, and across the border is Mozambique, there are still places that have warning signs up saying landmines... They are clearing, but the costs involved are high and rather risky. Lets hope there will be a worldwide ban on these terrible atrocities of war.

Monday June 22, 2009, 12:28 pm
Now I miss Princess Diana, she did much to have landmines banned.

Monday June 22, 2009, 12:43 pm
Thank you Jillianne.

Monday June 22, 2009, 12:55 pm
any idea which of the groups listed does the most good with the least money?

Monday June 22, 2009, 10:15 pm
I have not researched which groups do the most good with the least money, but the Veterans are most likely to know. They are probably the best source of information on all efforts regarding anything we are doing in Vietnam.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 3:41 pm
Noted with interest thanks Jillyanne.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 4:36 pm
Thank you Jillyanne. Noted.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 5:49 pm
omg....I had no idea. Thanks for the story.

Tuesday June 30, 2009, 10:13 am
Thank you Jillyanne for bringing this to the attention of others. This is what so many fail to remember, that when the combatants leave the field of battle, that does not mean the pain is over.