Stockpiled landmines go up in smoke

(Tuesday 18 September 2001 Managua, Nicaragua) More than two hundred guests witnessed the destruction of 20,000 antipersonnel landmines at an afternoon ceremony organized by Nicaragua’s National Demining Commission on 17 September 2001.

First a military official gave the order for the detonation, then there was a blaze of yellow and orange and next a mushroom of grey smoke. Finally, a loud “boom” and the earth shook under our feet. This was repeated fifteen times until the mines were destroyed. A few minutes later the smoke was still rising from the detonation site and into the surrounding green hills.

This was the eighth in a series of stockpile destructions organized by the Commission in fulfillment of Nicaragua’s obligations under the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Speakers at the event, which took place at a military school just outside outside Managua, included:

• William McDonough, coordinator of the mine action program of the Organization of American States,
• Juan Carlos Varela Suazo, soldier and mine survivor,
• General Javier Alonso Carrión, head of the Nicaraguan army,
• Dr Arnoldo Alemán Lacayo, President of Nicaragua,
• Dr José Adán Guerra Pastora, Minister of Defence and President of the National Demining Commission.

Nicaragua’s stockpile destruction program is ongoing and scheduled for completion by December 2004.