Landmine FAQ
Q: What is a landmine?
A: A landmine is an explosive device designed to go off when physical
pressure is applied to it. Although antipersonnel explosives are made to maim
or injure whoever steps on them, they can easily kill a person, especially a
child.
Q: What is a UXO?
A: UXO stands for "unexploded ordnance" and refers to any type of explosive that has not yet been detonated as intended. Although rockets, grenades, mortars and other bombs are designed to explode on impact after having been dropped or fired, many don't and thus pose a lethal threat to individuals who come in contact with them.
Q: How long are they active and dangerous?
A: Landmines and UXO can remain active for many years, long after hostilities have ceased. Many explosives become more unstable over time and therefore more dangerous when stirred even slightly. France is still disabling explosives from World War I.
Q: How big is the problem?
A: Landmines and UXO threaten life worldwide. Every 20 minutes, someone somewhere is injured or killed by an encounter with these kinds of explosives. More than 60 million landmines remain in areas of former and current conflict. Some of the worst-effected countries include Angola, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Rwanda and Vietnam.
Q: Why is it such an issue?
A: Clearance of landmines and UXO is a very long, labor-intensive and expensive task. It costs an average of $3 to place a landmine and about $1,000 to remove it. In addition, their use continues in many parts of the world, including areas where clearance is already underway.
Q: What does Clear Path International do?
A: Clear Path International is a humanitarian organization that has in
the past sponsored the removal of landmines and unexploded ordnance. We now
focus much of our efforts on assistance to accident survivors, particularly
children.
Q: Where do you operate?
A: We are operating in Vietnam, Cambodia and on the Thai-Burma border.
Q: What do you do about injuries?
A:We offer a comprehensive victim assistance program to accident survivors,
particularly children. It includes emergency medical care, hospitalization,
transportation, surgery, household economic support, occupational therapy and
special scholarships (for blinded victims). We also support treatment of victims
in the United States when it is most effective.
Q: Who did your actual clearance work?
A: In Vietnam, the clearance work was performed by Vietnamese deminers
trained, equipped and guided under contract by explosives professionals from
UXB International of Ashburn, Virginia and funded by The Freeman Foundation
of Stowe, VT.
Q: What is the extent of the problem in central Vietnam?
A: This region around the former DMZ bore the brunt of the bombing campaigns during the war and is still littered with unexploded ordnance. Every week, someone gets hurt or killed by an accidental explosion. Since the end of the war, more than 6,000 people have died this way in Quang Tri Province alone. At least 4,000 more have been maimed for life.
Q: What about Cambodia?
A: Despite increased stability, the Cambodian "Killing Fields” continue in the form of more than 2 million landmines lying await to claim their next victim. Since 1970, about 80,000 Cambodians have been killed by landmines and roughly 40,000 have been maimed by their accident. Cambodia has the highest per-capita number of mine amputees in the world.
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